AIB Leinster Senior Championship Semi Final.
Glynn Barntown 2-09 Piltown 2-10.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Piltown dig deep to reach a Leinster Final.
Piltown overcame a massive test of skill and of character as they beat the Wexford senior champions on their home patch by the minimum to set up a Leinster final meeting with St Vincents of Dublin.
You don’t get anything easy when you travel away, and Glynn Barntown certainly went down fighting as the game was still up for grabs deep into the seven minutes of injury time in the second half.
Piltown got off to the best possible start straight from the throw in, Kellyann Doyle got possession , passed it to Katie Power , and as usual she was accurate with her hand pass, straight to the hand of Patsy Kenny , she headed for goal and gave Lara OShea in the Barntown goal no chance to raise a green flag in the first minute. The perfect start for the away side , and it continued for the Piltown side as Katie Power scored two points from out on the left side in the fifth and twelfth minutes to increase the lead to five points.
It took the home side 13 minutes to open their account, when centre forward Chloe Cashe stood over a free , and put it over the bar into a slight breeze blowing towards her. Barntown were getting to grips with the game now, and were running at the Kilkenny champions, it was becoming a tough test for the Piltown rear guard, with the home side leaving one forward inside the 45, getting the ball in long to her, and then swarming forward, it paid off in the 17th minute when Jessie Morrissey got the sliothar in hand, beat the defence and put it across Aoife Norris into the right hand corner to bring the Piltown lead back to one point. It was a boost to the home side after Piltown had control of the first quarter.
But Glynn were now back in the game. Sophie Holden rose a white flag in the next attack , with Chloe Cashe replying with another pointed free. Kellyann Doyle answered with a her first free in the 20th minute as the game was starting to brew nicely. There was no holding back as the home side were cynical at the back , and clinical up the front. Chloe Cashe wasn’t missing the numerous frees she was taking, scoring from near and one from way out on the right sideline, to keep the scoreboard moving for the Wexford champions, while on the Piltown side, while not getting as many frees, Kellyann Doyle made no mistake from the three she got , and one from play. Glynn weren’t all about Cashe though , as full forward Ciara Butler ,who was proving a handful for full back Emily McCarthy and their battle throughout was one to watch, scored a point in the 28th minute, just after wing forward Layla Stafford pointed to make it a strong finish to the half for the home side. Half Time score : Glynn Barntown 1-06 Piltown 1-07.
The bare minimum between the sides, and it was a good indicator of the game, as there was nothing in it, there was only 3 wides in the first half. It wasn’t high scoring , but it was high on drama and incident.
Referee Donegan got the game underway , and Piltown were playing into the slight breeze coming from the scoreboard end. The battle was truly on , it took ten minutes for the first score to be registered when Patsy Kenny, who scored the first score in the first half also, put the ball over the bar. It was a game going end to end, but the defending from both sides was tenacious, blocking , hooking, bodies on the line stuff. This was keeping scoring chances down, and on the big wide pitch it was survival of the fittest. Players were going down injured and there was quite a few stoppages in play , time to get a breather and a slug of water, a few words of advice, but it was stopping either side from getting a run at the game, to register a few scores in a row to gain the upper hand.
Glynn Barntowns Laura Dempsey was gaining the upper hand playing Centre back, free in the first half as she swept up any wayward pass and breaking ball, on the Piltown side there was Lorna OShea who was tenacious throughout the match. Piltown had a purple patch then after Patsy’s point, Sophie Holden scored her second point of the game after being set up by the superb Kellyann Doyle in the 45th minute. Then a crucial moment for the away side ,after serious work to get the ball back, it arrived to Patsy, amid a gaggle of players and she got a shot away, it was saved by Lara OShea, it rolled free to the right of the goal, it needed someone to think quick, react, be brave, and theres no one better than Sophie Holden to do all three. She pounced and pulled on the sliothar into the net. From the very big crowd there was a roar as the scores were now 2-09 to 1-06 after 48 minutes. Kellyann Doyle made no mistake with another free a minute later as she arrowed the ball over the bar after Katie Power was fouled again, this was their last score of the half.
HALF TIME Scores : Glynn Barntown 1-06 Piltown 1-07
The home sides Chloe Cashe got her first chance of the second half from a 45 , despite it been given as wide by the umpire, he was over ruled by the ref and it was changed to a 45, and Cashe made no mistake. In truth Piltown looked the more dangerous from play as their shooting, when they got the chance was impeccable, only one wide in the first half, and none in the second, but Barntown were still there, still fighting, stopping their attack. It was time now for the home sides purple patch, they upped the gear, could Piltown match it now? Time to dig deep, time to believe.
Straight away Cashe got another chance after yet another foul in the 51st minute. And then Glynn Barntowns Ciara Butler, who was a handful all game, got on a loose ball inside the parallelogram and pulled on it on the ground, and it went past Aoife Norris into the net, to cut the lead back to two points with six minutes left. The atmosphere was electric around the pitch, and higher on the pitch. Five minutes left, who will want it more, who will go through to a Leinster Final, its unchartered ground for both sides at this level. The ‘soft’ frees kept coming for the home side, while more serious incidents were unpunished, and after striking one free wide previously, Chloe Cashe stood over another one , three minutes into the seven minutes of injury time , and this time she made no mistake, and cut Piltowns lead to one point.
Glynn Barntown kept coming at Piltown, a battle to the end, bodies on the line , one mistake could be the winning or losing of it. And then seven minutes deep into injury time, Layla Stafford got free, she broke through the middle , and shot high between the posts, there was a collective intake of breath from inside and outside the pitch side fence. It sailed high, but it sailed to the right and wide. Cheers from one side and silence from the other, and on the puckout , the final whistle was blown. A one point victory for the Kilkenny champions, and they go on to play St Vincents of Dublin in the 2024 Leinster Final.
What a battle between the two sides, there was nothing left to give, as bandaged players on both sides, shook hands, commiserated and congratulated, celebrated and consoled, after what was a tough game of camogie.
Hard luck to Glynn Barntown, a puck of the ball was the difference, and congratulations to them on their maiden Senior County title. A season to remember for them, while Piltowns season continues.
Final Score Glynn Barntown 2-09 Piltown 2-10
Chloe Power and Alice Talbot celebrate at the final whistle
Seamus Dunne celebrates with Kellyann Doyle
Midfielder Lorna OShea in action Vs Glynn Barntown
Goalscorer Patsy Kenny in action Vs Glynn Barntown
Senior County Final - Piltown V Dicksboro - Sun 20 Oct 24
From the Tour De France to County Champions…
The Tour de France passed through Piltown in June 1998. To celebrate the fact that our village in the south of Kilkenny, was being visited by ‘the Tour’ , there was a festival in the village for the days leading up to it. There was a lot of the activity in the village that week, with French markets, Dj Carey, French Ministers in black Mercs , busking competitions, story tellers , fancy dress parades, cyclists names painted on the road, Tricolour flags of Ireland and France, grandstands on the main street. Being a cyclist myself ,that was amazing and surreal to see the worlds most famous race passing up the Main Street and past the Tower as they headed towards Cork.
On the night of Sunday 20 October 2024, there was another amazing and surreal experience on the same main street , as the Piltown Camogie Senior team walked the same road , lined with some of those same people , cheering them home , just as they did to cyclists 26 years previously. The reception they got was the ‘hair standing on your arms’ kind. There may have been only two hours notice for the parishioners of Templeorum, Piltown and Owning , to be ready compared to the weeks of preparation that went into the Tour de France spectacle, and this time the flags along the street were all black and amber, but it was just as spectacular, just as enthusiastic, but, one thing different this time. This time they were cheering home their daughters, their sisters, their cousins, their girlfriends, their wives and even their mother !
In the intervening 26 years, there may not have been many reasons to have such a homecoming but this was the mother and father of good times, after 32 girls went to Kilkenny, took on and beat down the reigning County, Leinster and All Ireland champions on the field of Nowlan Park. As was said numerous times that day ‘Dreams came true’ .. Dreams do come true…
Sometimes , you could be afraid to dream , as those dreams have been shattered on the field a couple of times before, but you could feel something different in the air. You could see this bunch had an extra bit about them. Battle hardened, and battle scarred from previous heartbreak. Written off after previous battles didn’t go their way – but you can lose battles and still comeback to win the war. These girls proved it.
A team bus to Kilkenny, nearly forgetting Niamh Culleton after a hap hazard headcount, and it turned out that we were lucky she did flag down the bus , and climb aboard. Nervous laughter , nervous chatter , speaker volume not too high, no time to get too carried away yet this early. We arrive in Kilkenny in plenty of time, time to offload enough hurleys to light many a Halloween bonfire, and bags that seemed big enough for a fortnights holiday in Santa Ponza.
Out the tunnel under Ardan Breathnach, “sorry, you cant puck around on the pitch until 30 mins before throw in “ they were told, mainly due to the fact that there was a storm blowing from the Town end towards the Loughlins Road end that was testing the strength of the flags around the ground. Programmes were got and flicked through, a wee puck in the corridor, rice cakes, another peek through the programme, jesus we are up here too early, a bit of nerves kicking in.
The clock is ticking slowly towards ‘the time’. Piltown are out first, theres hammering on the door, and a minute later the Captain leads them out, Katie Power barrels down the corridor, cheeks puffed eyes glaring – This is it. This is her time. She is followed out by her 31 other teammates , all have the look of a team about to face their time, is this their time? Tears in the eyes of others , unfortunately its not their time, not this time ….. Sport can be tough, and unfair.
Photos taken on the long bench ,some have to force a smile, others it comes naturally. Then off to the corner, its time to work. Helmets on, game face on, switched on. A yielding pitch after all the rain, nice bit of grass, but the wind. That wind will have a say. The Clubber camera up over our head.
The toss was made and we were playing with the wind.
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Dicksboro struck first, Aobha OGorman pointed and Tommy made his first foray across the pitch, Ciara OShea started the WWE on Katie Power , pulling dragging, trying to get a reaction. Dicksboro started well with Aoife Norris saving a half hearted shot from Rose Kelly, before Ellen OKeeffe was adjudged to have fouled just around the arc, and Aoife Prendergast made no mistake . Aoife Norris was hitting the oppositions 45 yard line with her puck outs, but the Boro were doing okay under them , with Ciara Phelan getting her sides third point to no reply as they worked the ball nicely up their right wing.
They were coping well playing into the breeze, we struggled to get to grips with it, and our first shot from Kellyann went to the left and wide. Kellyann had another chance in the 8th minute, and made no mistake from a free out near the 65.
Straight from that , Katie Power picked up a loose puckout, Katie handpassed it high into Heather, but it was a couple of inches too high and the chance went. The Boro fouled again, and Kellyann pointed it again. Now Piltown were on top, and were keeping the Boro inside their own 65, and once again Katie got the ball in hand , Ciara OShea hanging onto her by the neck, Power wriggled free, and put the ball towards Heather Phelan, this time into her hand, but Heather couldn’t get a hurley at it, and kicked it over the bar to level the score. Finally ref ODwyer had enough of their ‘tactic’ , and produced a yellow card to Boro’s OShea. Aoife Prendergast once again punished Piltown for a foul, with Katie Power levelling it again, Heather Phelan this time setting Power free with a handpass, Power wheeled away happy, hand in the air, White flag waving for a point , 18 mins gone.
Aoife Norris then took possession of the ball after a shot from Prendergast, Aoife took two steps, and was pushed to the grass, and strangely enough was blown for ‘over carrying’. Prendergast put the resulting free over the bar. Kellyann replied with another free as the scoring chances from play were scarce enough. There was little time on the ball as both teams denied the other any space, and the time to find it. The free taking competition continued with Kellyann unerringly putting her fourth free of the half over the bar despite the howling wind and we took the lead. Laura Norris was cleaning up all the dropping ball as she broke through tackles and delivered into the forwards. Ellen OKeeffe went down injured and the swarm of orange bibbed Boro mentors delivered water and advice to their players , and they were doing a good job playing into the wind, trailing by only a point. That was soon doubled as Sophie Holden got onto a breaking ball from a long Karen Duggan clearance, jinked inside and put it over the ball. Kellyann stood over another placed ball heading into injury time. Dicksboro had a golden goal chance just on the stroke of half time , when Orla Handrick got on a crossed ball from Rose Kelly, it beat defenders Karen Duggan and Emily McCarthy , and she put it over the bar, mainly due to McCarthy getting some contact on the forward forcing her to go for a point. There was still time for Asha McHardy to split the posts to leave the minimum at half time.
Half Time Score – Piltown 0-08 Dicksboro 0-07
Dicksboro now had the breeze, had we enough scored? Then a critical moment, Kellyann stood over yet another free, between the 45 and 65, she struck it hard and high, it dropped like a stone in the wind, up went Caoimhe Dowling, it missed her hand, and it also missed the desperate dive from Kirsty Maher and it went into the bottom left hand corner of the net ! What a start to the half. Piltown tails were up now, and Patsy Kenny was causing panic in the Boro defence, as she got out in front for a low ball, turned and headed for goal, and was stopped in her tracks for another free. Kellyann made no mistake driving it hard into the wind, and hard into the large net behind for another point. Patsy got on the end of a free driven in by Aoife Norris from half way, she laid it off, but Kellyann put the ball wide as she was off balance.
Aoife Prendergast got a chance in the 37th minute to try settle down her side, but she also missed as the wind drove her shot from the right side to the right of the post and wide. Lorna OShea and Niamh Culleton were on top in the middle now, leading to yet another free and another point from Kellyann on the 21yard line, after she was fouled. 40 minutes gone, and we had a six point lead, we were driving forward, using the ball cleverly , Ellen OKeeffe and Sophie Holden so hard to dispossess when they have the ball. But reigning County, Leinster and All Ireland champions do not give up, and Aoife Prendergast got them moving with points from frees in the 40th and 43rd minutes. Our own Kilkenny star was soaring though, and after great work from Lorna OShea and Patsy Kenny, Kellyann put the sliothar over Kirsty Mahers head and her crossbar.
Frees were keeping the Boro in the game, with yes again, Aoife Prendergast putting them over the bar , wind assisted from under Ardan de Gras in the 46th minute to cut the lead to four points. The temperature was rising as we got closer to the line, It was backs to the wall and shoulders to the wheel time for Piltown, Aobha OGorman cut it to three points and it seemed that the Boro were starting to gain control. The Boro fans were shouting when Prendergast cut it to a two point game with her tenth point. Was it a case of here we go again!?
But this group don’t do panic, they dig in, they fight and they take what they want. Straight from Aoife Norris’s puckout to the left wing, Katie Power won the ball, hand passed it off to the charging Alanna Gallagher, she found Niamh Culleton in space, she delivered it low in front of Sophie Holden, she tapped it up into her hand, twisted and turned to her right into the space and from the 14 , drove it across Mahers goal into the far corner of the net . GOAL! What a roar from the Piltown supporters on the opposite side of the pitch. Dare we believe? Ten minutes left
Strangely , Niamh Culleton was penalised for overcarrying (the fourth Piltown girl to be penalised for the same), but luckily Aoife Prendergast couldn’t get it on target and it went wide. It was frantic on the pitch now, Boro battling , and Piltown battling back, and then an injury that kind of killed the momentum that Dicksboro were rebuilding. Aoife Landers , who was immense throughout the game, was fouled over on the sideline, giving Kellyann another free, it was mishit by her, won by the Boro defenders, won back by Doyle, she hit a high and mighty ball towards goal, the wind caught it and it dropped like a stone, and it was met by the flying Niamh Culleton as she followed in , the ball dropped in front of her and she hit it first time into the net. We can believe? 5 minutes left.
The battle was taking its toll, players going down injured, cramping up and battling to the end. Aoife Prendergast scored another point, with two minutes of the 60 remaining , and a minute later she stood over another and put that over too. Six points ahead , entering three minutes of injury time.
We can believe!
The Boro were lobbing balls in around the danger zone now, Piltown defending with all they had, Laura Norris and Allana Gallagher putting in huge hits to make sure they kept them out. Thou shall not pass. Emily Mcarthy, Lorraine Long and Alice Talbot battling as the Boro tried to remain County champions. Ultimately they ran out of ideas, and time as the whistle went, and we were County Champions !! Senior Camogie Champions for the first time.
FINAL SCORE PILTOWN 3-11 DICKSBORO 0-14
Wild scenes in the ground as the stands emptied of the Piltown supporters and spilled out onto the pitch. Hugs , jumps, falls to the ground. Pure, genuine emotion, genuine relief, genuine girls just after fulfilling their dream. Their families, friends, and strangers joined them as they merged into one big happy mass of black, yellow, amber, adults, kids, as the joy of a parish was shown for appreciation of what was just achieved.
Eventually , Captain Katie Power walked up the steps with Aoife Doyle to collect the Biddy Barry trophy. The Senior Championship trophy, our girls received the cup and rose it high in the air to massive roars from around and in front of them. What a moment. After an amazing speech by Katie Power, the cup was brought to the field, down to the Captains soldiers, her team mates, her friends, each one now a County final winner. The celebrations continued for a while in the changing room, and once the panel were ready, the bus headed to the reception in Langtons, where a massive crowd was waiting. The panel and management were cheered into the reception room by a crowd of family , friends, ex players, ex managers, coaches and committee. Once again , powerful , emotional speeches by the team Manager Andrew ‘Chuckie’ Norris, and captain Katie, really drove home what it meant to them, and underlined what was achieved. We believe.
Then back on the Piltown Coach , a coach full of cheer, and a Cup. We were met by a garda escort, we had fireworks on the Hill , we had people walking out to the end of their drive with flags, Sheila Norris , a Piltown camogie stalwart out waving us home. And we finally arrived on the main street , we stopped at the bottom of the hill , where a massive crowd awaited. Both sides of the roads lined with people cheering , waving flags and calling out names. It was a carnival , a carnival inspired by a group of 32 and their coaches, a very special group.
County Champions 2024 – Piltown Senior Camogie.
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But, the journeys not over yet. We travel to county Wexford to take on their champions Glynn-Barntown on Sunday 3rd November in a Leinster Semi Final.
Katie Power followed by Aoife Norris in the Tunnel
That smile, when your dreams come true - Aoife Norris
Junior Championship 1st Round.
Sunday 13 October '24
Piltown 1-14. Bennettsbridge 2-05
Piltown battled through the challenge of Bennettsbridge in this first round of the Championship on a chilly fine morning in Piltown GAA.
Ciara Dunne scored the first point of the game as she put the sliothar over the crossbar in the second minute. It was added to by Antonia Power as she got the yellow Falconers ball in hand, turned and put it over the black spot. But despite the good start by Piltown , it was the away side that took the lead as Lucy Walsh got the ball past Danielle OBrien in the Piltown goal in the 12th minute to take the lead. A great start for the Bridge, but Piltown reacted well as a Chloe Blackmore shot that was saved by Dominique Delaney ,was put over the bar by the hard working midfielder Aoife OShea. Bennettsbridge replied with a point of their own from midfielder Laura Keogh ,and another from a 45 from the hurley of Aoibhe Ryan as the lead changed hands once again. It's difficult to mention hard working midfielders and not mention Rachel OShea and it was a long range shot that dropped short around the goalmouth created the second goal of the game. It dropped short and it was a one v one , Chloe v Dominique, forward v keeper , and it was the forward that won out. Chloe Blackmore challenged Dominique Delaney as the ball dropped, Chloe got the all important touch to get it into the net , and the lead changed hands again.
The same forward was involved again in the 28th minute as she got the ball off the excellent Sarah Tobin, she broke through the tackles and hit a rasper towards goal from the 21, it rocketed off the crossbar and over the bar. Again, as we headed for half time, Bennettsbridge attacked, straight back down , Abbey Keogh got it and headed for goal , it took a tackle from Lisa Norris to stop her, but at the expense of a penalty. Aoibhe Ryan stood over it, facing Danielle OBrien. She struck it hard and high, and it nestled in the net to give the Bridge the lead again. It was a topsy turvy game so far , and Kaleigh OShea levelled the game right on the half time whistle, leaving it level Piltown 1-05 Bennettsbridge 2-02.
The game restarted and so did the scoring, with Chloe Blackmore scoring a 45 and a free, Aoibhe Ryan replied with a point from a free, the game was swinging end to end now with tenacious tackling, and scores aplenty. Ciara Dunne got a point either side of another two frees from Chloe, Laura Dooley got one back for the Bridge. The Bridge forward had a chance from the 21, in the 58th minute and her shot was saved on the line by Mairebeth Kirby , a keepers instincts are rarely lost.
Piltown were shutting down the Bridges opportunities now, with Chloe Power commanding at the back, and Marlise Flynn grabbed a point , after great work from Ciara Dunne and Chloe Blackmore , and it was left to Emma OShea to close out the match with a point deep in injury time.
Final Scores : Piltown 1-14 Bennettsbridge 2-05.
Well done to all the panel and coaches , a hard fought win puts them into quarter final next weekend.
Maire-Beth Kirby makes the clearance.
Junior Captain Chloe Power clears under pressure
Michael Lyng Motors Senior Championship '24 Semi Final.
PILTOWN 2-13. YOUNG IRELANDS 1-03
Saturday 12 October '24 - Erin's Own GAA , Castlecomer.
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Piltown returned to a Senior final after seeing off Young Irelands of Gowran after dominating a game in which they were favourites and didn't really look like losing.
That's not to say that they got it easy off the Gowran side, and although the scoreboard might make it look like it was an easy victory, Piltown had to work hard to get scores and there was nothing that came unchallenged.
Heather Phelan got the scoring underway in the 6th minute as the heavens opened and dumped a sky full of rain on top of everyone in Canon Kearns Park Castlecomer , and made the first half conditions very tricky for the players. Heather didn't mind the conditions though as she added a point in the 12th minute as she put one over the bar from the right wing , after scoring from the left previously., after fouls on Katie Power and Sophie Holden.
Despite the slippy sliothar and sod, it was a fast paced opening, Piltown were non stop attacking, Young Ireland's defending and harrying to try keep them out. Ellen OKeeffe wasn't kept out though as she broke through the Gowran half back line and got Piltowns third point in the 13th minute. There was a strong breeze blowing across the pitch towards the main road to Kilkenny but despite that there were few wides in the half, and Piltown pressure was continually coughing up loose ball and they were turning over the Gowran puck out. Aoife Landers , who was immense throughout the game, won a 'dirty ball' and turned towards Hannah Brennans goal, she passed the sliothar to Katie Power and she popped a hand pass to her fellow forward Sophie Holden , head down going for goal and she made no mistake as she hit the net from the angle on the right.
It was a great three minutes for Piltown as they scored 1-02, was this just a purple patch, or signs of how the game was going to be. It took Gowran 21 minutes to move the scoreboard as Julie Lennon scored a point from a free after Emily McCarthy was judged to have fouled Sarah ODonnell. Gowran were getting a few shots at goal, albeit from far out, or near the sidelines, Sarah ODonnell and Julie Lennon did try their luck with shots but both drifted wide of the posts. They missed shots and their defence were giving away frees, and Kellyann Doyle made no mistake with her free , even though it was out on the sideline of the right wing in the 29th minute to break the lull in scoring as we approached half time. Right after that score, Kellyann was involved again, after great work from Katie Power won the ball, Power passed to Kellyann and she worked it to wing forward Sophie Holden and she put it over the bar. And once again winning puckouts proved valuable as the ball was won by Lorna OShea and she found Heather Phelan, she found space and put it over the bar to end the half.
Half time Score : Piltown 1-06. Young Ireland's 0-01
The teams came out to blue skies and sunshine for the second half , with Gowran now attacking the clubhouse end , but scoring wise it was still going the opposite direction, Sophie Holden got her second point in the 2nd minute of the half , before what was probably the killer blow, Aoife Landers landed a sideline cut in the hand of Katie Power and she offloaded it to the flying Kellyann Doyle, and Kellyann made no mistake as she beat Hannah Brennan in the Gowran goal with a strike across her . It was a goal that Doyles performance deserved, and she was a driving force throughout. Gowran were still attacking and they did raise a white flag in the 38th minute as Steffi Fitzgerald pointed a free from near the 45 yard line. These brief glimpses of hope were keeping Gowran , and the game itself, alive, as they were getting more into the game , and another free struck the post of Aoife Norris high up and bounced in favour of Piltown into the hands of Lorraine Long and was cleared to safety. Steffi Fitzgerald registered another point from another free in the 42nd minute from out on the wing and gave Young Irelands a little more belief, but in truth , the game was put to bed between the 47th and 50th minutes , as Heather Phelan made no mistake from three frees all around the 45 yard line.
A few substitutes were introduced , and two of the Piltown ones scored , Aine Doyle and Leah Cooney , both scoring from play. Kellyann Doyle finished the Piltown scoring in the 59th minute and then the Gowran forward Julie Lennon added to her teams opening point, with the match ending goal as she got inside the Piltown back line and gave Aoife Norris no chance as she blasted to the net in injury time.
FINAL SCORE : PILTOWN 2-13. YOUNG IRELANDS 1-03.
Ellen OKeeffe chasing hard
Sophie Holden , Aoife Landers and Ellen OKeeffe
Senior Championship Quarter Final.
Ballyhale Gaa club - Sunday 6 Oct ‘24
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Piltown 2-11 St Martins 0-07
Piltown proved to be too strong for St Martins on a beautiful Sunday morning in Ballyhale as they advanced to a semi final against Young Irelands.
The ground underfoot was yielding after the severe rainfall that arrived the previous evening, but the sunny morning was warm, and the wee breeze that puffed across the pitch wasn’t going to cause any problems.
This was the second meeting of the sides this season after St Martins came to Piltown in early July in the All County League and left with the points with a one point win, so Piltown had to be wary of the side from the north of the county.
A good start is always what you want , and we got it with Heather Phelan putting over the first free of the day in the third minute , and this was followed in the sixth with the first goal of the day with Sophie Holden raising the green flag as she got the sliothar in hand, twisted , turned, accelerated away and gave Rachel Moloney in the Martins goal no chance as she blasted confidently to the net.
It took St Martins 11 minutes to score their first (and only) point from play as Shona Ruane put the ball over Aoife Norris’s crossbar. Niamh Culleton replied for Piltown with a point of her own in the 12th minute , before Martins Katie Nolan opened her scoring account with her first free of the day soon after. The free count was rising as the St Martins defence fouled the fast flying Piltown forwards, Heather Phelan took advantage of another foul , as she scored another point from another free in the 15th minute. The game was turning into a battle for possession as both sides were tackling hard, and it was difficult to get space to place that pass, or to aim your shot. A few stoppages due to injuries didn’t help the flow of the game , as ref Paul Hunston was busy containing the game as the defenders on both sides became more desperate.
Katie Nolan pointed two more frees in the 20th and 25th minutes to cut the Piltown lead to three points, but then tenacious half back Aoife Landers surged forward and split the posts with a shot from distance, this was then followed by Kellyann Doyle standing over two frees in the 28th and 30th minutes to finish the first half.
Half Time Scores : PILTOWN 1-06 ST MARTINS 0-04
The second half was two minutes old when Katie Power got possession on the 21, and burst towards goal, she got inside the 14 when she was put down by a Martins defender , and ref Hunston had no hesitation in coming forward with his arms spread wide. Penalty. Aoife Norris came forward , could she score her second goal in two games?
She stood over it , lifted it, pulled back and struck it . Hard to her left , to Martins keeper Rachel Moloney’s right , at shoulder height, Moloney got her hurley up in time, batted it out , and we thought away to safety. Katie Power had other thoughts though , as she reacted quicker than anyone else, and dived bravely towards the ball and got it across the line despite keeper Moloney and the Martins defenders best efforts!
A great start for Piltown , and a bad one for St Martins, they were struggling to create chances from open play as the Piltown back six were resilient and were winning their respective battles. Kellyann Doyle took advantage of more indisipline as she put three more frees over the bar as the lead went out to eleven points. St Martins took until the 47th minute to raise a white flag through Katie Nolan from a free , and then again in the 48th minute , Kellyann got her sixth of the game in the 52nd minute, as the game started to wind down with both sides guilty of some missed chances from play and from placed ball. Katie Nolan got her 6th of the game in the 56th minute to finish St Martins scoring. Sophie Holden finished the Piltown scoring in the 60th minute to leave Piltown comfortably ahead.
Full Time Scores : PILTOWN 2-11 ST MARTINS 0-07.
Piltown will play Young Irelands this coming weekend in the Senior Championship Semi Final.
Senior League Final - sponsored by Michael Lyng Motors.
Nowlan Park - Sat 21 Sept 2024.
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Piltown 2-12 Dicksboro 0-12.
Piltown claimed the Senior League trophy after a pulsating Final played in Nowlan Park.
The clash between the long time rivals always promised to be a game worthy of a Nowlan Park billing, and it did not disappoint. In the past few meetings there's rarely more than a score between these two clubs, but that trend was bucked and turned on its head as the Baile an Phoill girls shone brightest.
"Do you remember the 21st day of September" was the opening line of a famous song from the 70s , sung by 'Earth , wind & Fire" (ask your parents, kids ) and it was a day to remember as captain Katie Power raised the League trophy in the stand of Ardan Breathnach in front of her gallant teammates that had just beaten the reigning All Ireland club champions, as the Boro girls had battled like the champions that they are.
As the teams barrelled out from under the Ardan OCearbhaill through a tunnel of cheering club mates from the Piltown and Dicksboro u10s, the warm ups began, the photos, the last minute instructions, the last slug of water, the lining up for Amhran na bhFiann , and then the hand shake with your opponent, and then the ball is in, and the game is on.
And it was straight down to business with the Piltown girls straight on the attack from the throw in, the ball delivered into Katie Power, ball in the hand ,she turned ,found Ellen OKeeffe in a yard of space, Ellen moved forward and put the ball over the bar from the 14 yard line.
From the resulting puck out Kirsty Maher's pass found Ciara Phelan around the middle , over towards us in the Ardan de Gras, she was swamped immediately by the duo of Aoife Landers and Ellen OKeeffe, she had no options, and neither had referee Owen Beehan and he penalised Phelan for over carrying. Up came Aoife Norris out of her goal and stood over the sliothar, she struck it mighty, breeze assisted ,towards the City end goal, it sailed towards her opposite numbers domain , and it was dropping like a stone, and it dropped just under the crossbar inside the right post and into the net! What a strike from the Piltown keeper, and what a start from Piltown, The Boro were rocked for the moment, but that was not going to the last. It took them 6 minutes to score and it was through their wing forward Asha McHardy as she scored a point from play and then converted a 45 soon after. She looked dangerous, and her direct running at goal needed good defending, and Alanna Gallagher, and Alice Talbot had their hands full. But obviously she's not the only danger in the Boro forwards, Aoife Prendergast roams around the pitch getting on ball ,taking frees, and laying off ball, and it was the laying off ball bit that she did to set up Ciara Phelan in the 9th minute to reduce the lead to one point.
Back came Piltown through Katie Power, as she raised a white flag, and then Power turned provider as she plucked a high ball out of the sky, fed Kellyann Doyle and she raised a white flag of her own. Aoife Prendergast got another opportunity from another free as Laura Norris was harshly penalised while bursting out of a ruck with the ball in the 14th minute. Piltown got a couple of opportunities from frees of their own , and Heather Phelan made no mistake from both of them, as every score looked like it was going to be needed as Dicksboro dont 'do' lying down.
Piltown were staying three points ahead now as we headed towards half time, and there was still crucial moments to come after 26 minutes of non stop drama. The ball broke to Karen Duggan in the centre back area, she looked up , and drove a low ball into the corner forward area, Heather Phelan collected it, came back infield and gave it to Kellyann Doyle , she lob passed it towards Katie Power , she put up the hand, caught it, on the 21 and turned towards Kirsty Maher one on one, and she buried the ball high in the net. It was a great finish to a superb move. Next moment was a minute later as Lorna OShea , who was excellent in midfield, batted a high ball down towards Kellyann, she turned and gave a low ball towards Katie Power, who was left one on one again, she spun Tara Clifford and was face to face with Kirsty Maher again, this time Power aimed low to Maher's right and Maher got the hurley to it and deflected it wide of the goal. A great save from the Boro keeper.
It wasn't finished yet ! Dicksboro got an advantage on their own 45 , Caoimhe Dowling hand passed to Aobha OGorman and she drove into the space as Piltown were caught out, and the ball was delivered in low to Asha McHardy , she turned , laid it off to Ciara Phelan as she headed towards Aoife Norris in goal, it had goal chance written all over it but corner back Lorraine Long and full back Emily McCarthy had other ideas. They ran across and met the problem head on, and took down the forward inside the area, ref Beehan blew the whistle, and raised both his arms . Penalty.
When you think of trusting your teammates to get you out of trouble, cover you, bail you out, maybe that was in the minds of Long and McCarthy when Phelan was through on goal. Make a foul ,take the card and leave Aoife Norris back you up. Maybe it was. But as the clock ticked down to half time, this was crucial. Club rivals, County teammates, it was Aoife Prendergast versus Aoife Norris. Prendergast shot to her right, Norris went to her left, and Norris saved the peno. It bounced clear and the half time whistle went. What a half !
Half time score PILTOWN 2-08. Dicksboro 0-06.
We had the u10s of Piltown and Dicksboro playing on them pitch at half time, and it was a great treat for those girls I'm sure to play in Nowlan Park.
The players returned to the pitch, and the second half was underway, it couldn't be as dramatic as the first half surely ? It was frantic again as the Boro tore into it, the first three scores being points from frees, two for Aoife Prendergast and one in reply from Heather Phelan. Lorna OShea got the score her performance deserved , with a fine strike over the bar. Aoife Doyle was introduced and got a point of her own after being set up by Kellyann. Boro were increasing the pressure and were picking off points, but they couldn't get the goal that they needed, Piltown were defending resolutely and restricting them to points from out the field. Rachel Dowling scored one, and substitute Orla Hanrick got two nice points , but they Boro just couldn't get close enough.
It was to be Piltowns day, a day to get over the line, a day to bring home the League cup.
And as Katie Power raised the cup over her head, thoughts drift to other days, days to come.
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Piltown Vs Mullinavat. U12 Final - Saturday 21 Sept 24
What a morning of Camogie on the back pitch in the Complex, ultimately it ended in defeat for Piltown, and glory to the visitors from over the hill.
In front of a large and enthusiastic crowd ref Willie Kearney got the game underway, and it didn't take long for the umpires to get involved as Mullinavat had the green flag waving in the first minute , as they went on the attack from the start . Piltown replied with a point from Aoibhinn Stuart, as the yellow sliothar was moving end to end, our second was scored by Abbie Norris as she calmly struck a free over the bar. The game was intense, the morning was warm , and the crowd were involved as both sides ran at each other . Lucie Little cleared numerous ball down to the Mullinavat end , and on their side Laura Aylward was returning it. Ten minutes gone and Abbie Norris got the ball on the run down the right wing , she struck the ball goalwards looping in the air. It looked dangerous , and it was as it lobbed in over Julia Walsh's head and into the net. From the puckout Julia found Aisling Fitzpatrick with a great puckout. Aisling passed it to Eloise Madigan and she headed for goal , she struck hard and at goal,and it was bravely saved by Sadhbh Foley in the Piltown goal , it bounced clear out as far as Bria Wall , and she put it over the bar.
It was pure excitement, as two teams gave their all and it was to end up level at half time as Eloise Madigan scored another from play.
The second half was underway , and the players on the pitch carried on , with points from Abbie Norris for Piltown and Aisling Fitzpatrick, Ellie Mae Aylward to make it a one point lead coming into the final 5 mins. It was a battle now as there were blocks, hooks, and fouls as all girls gave their all to gain victory.
Time ran out for Piltown in the end, and Mullinavat claimed a one point victory.
Commiserations to Piltown, Congratulations to Mullinavat on their victory, and to both sides and mentors on a marvellous advertisement for Camogie.
Kilkenny Camogie representative Sheila Norris presented the trophy to the Mullinavat captain and the celebration began.
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Piltown - Lucie Little, Holly Buckley, Faye Culleton, Niamh Fitzgerald , Sadhbh Foley, Elisa Frisby, Orlaith Frisby, Mai Gahan, Briannagh Ivory, Kate Kearns, Grace Kelly, Ailbhe Keswick, Sophie Lawlor, Emma Meaney, Abbie Norris, Phoebe ODwyer, Keelagh OShea, Keeley Power, Leah Purcell, Ellie Lou Quirke, Sophia Russell, Aoibhinn Stuart, Caoimhe Tracy, Isabelle White.
Mullinavat Camogie Club - Ellie Mae Aylward, Laura Aylward, Daisy Bland, Lauryn Dungan, Aisling Fitzpatrick, Hannah Hogan, Katie Kearns, Eloise Madigan, Hollie Murphy, Elise Rohan, Maya Sutton, Bria Wall, Ellie May Walsh, Joanne Walsh, Julia Walsh.
Junior League Championship sponsored by Kilkenny River Court Hotel
Friday 20 September 2024.
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Piltown 5-11. Blacks & Whites 0-06
Chloe Blackmore showed her finishing skills as she ended up with a personal tally of 2-07 in a game where the home side didn't ever look like losing, but the away side just never really got going at all.
Piltown started brightly with points from Ciara Dunne and a free scored by Chloe, and then a blow to the team from Skeough as a free from midfield struck by Patsy Kenny flew goalwards bounced and beat everyone and into the net after 10 mins. In reply Cliodhna Murphy got the away sides first point of the game in the 11th from a free on the 45. Piltown were clicking though, and most of the play was heading towards the Complex end , with Chloe scoring another point from far out on the left wing, Emma OShea getting one after great set up play from Antonia Power and Chloe Blackmore. Then a score that maybe ended B&Ws belief in getting back into the game, as another long distance shot from Aoife OShea , off her left side, headed towards goal, took a bounce and into the net. 23 minutes gone , and still time for more as Chloe B once again, scored a point and then a goal, in the 29th minute after Emma OShea set her through. Cliodhna Murphy got her second free of the game right on the half time whistle. Leath ama - Piltown 3-05 Blacks & Whites 0-02.
The game restarted with a 45 for Blacks & Whites , and the accurate shooting of Cliodhna Murphy continued as she put it over the bar. But again Piltown surged forward. Patsy Kenny, Sarah Tobin and Aoife OShea were flying and kept the away side turned back towards their own goal, Ciara Dunne got her second from a Aoife OShea hand pass , soon added to by , yes her again, Chloe Blackmore from a Rachel OShea pass, then in the 37th minute , a goal that killed the game. A shot from long range off the hurley of Emma OShea was shaved brilliantly by Sophie Phelan in the Black&Whites goal, but there to pounce on the rebound was Ciara Dunne, and it looked like the game was done.
The away kept plugging away , and there was nothing easy , ball had to be won, and Cliodhna Murphy kept putting her frees over the bar of Danielle OBrien. The Piltown keeper then turned provider when she caught a shot at her goal, she placed a long pass beautifully into the hand of Patsy Kenny in midfield, she in turn lobbed it towards Chloe Blackmore, she caught it ,spun her marker and headed for goal. She blasted the Falconers labelled yellow ball into the net. It was a great score , and was probably the highlight of the game. Simple and effective.
It just didn't seem to click at all for Blacks & Whites at all , as they came up against a home side that were firing on all cylinders under the lights.
Final score PILTOWN 5-11. Blacks & Whites 0-06.
Our u10s attended the Mullinavat Camogie Club U10 blitz on Sat 14th Sept. What a day our girls had . Plenty of Camogie and Tons of craic. Such a well run event.
Thanks to the host club for a great day , and to Coaches and parents for looking after our girls.
Gaeltec Utilities U16B Championship Semi Final.
Tuesday 17 Sept 2024.
Tullogher 2-13 Piltown 2-06.
A beautiful evening, starting out in warm sunshine but ending in defeat for Piltown under a full moon peeping out over the hills.
It was a panoramic view on our way home, as we travelled west towards the setting sun , which was kind of apt as the sun also set on our U16s season.
Never an easy place to go , Tullogher started well as they scored three points in the first eight minutes , before Siobhan Aylward slipped in to score an opportunistic goal to level the game after ten minutes. The home side , with their jerseys turned inside out due to the usual clash of colours , were attacking at every opportunity, and going for scores. Piltown were defending hard and doing their best under savage pressure, but Tullogher got the next three points to go three ahead after 20 minutes, but again the green flag was waving in favour of Piltown as our other nippy corner forward , Georgina Quirk , got free to put the ball past Aisling Power in the Tullogher goal.
The home side attacks were swift and efficient, and were putting the back six of Lauren Flynn, Faye Maher , Fiona Fogarty , Jessica Long, Katelyn Moore and Kate Fogarty under real pressure throughout , and they were defending doggedly as they blocked and harried the Tullogher attack to make sure they didn’t concede a goal, and with Rachel Tennyson behind them stopping all shots beneath the crossbar , all was going ok.
Piltown then took the lead as Ruby Norris broke through and put the sliothar over the black spot , the home side came right back at the Piltown backs, with two points just before the whistle for half time. Once again play swung to the other end, and after great work from Saoirse Barry, the ball was given to Kate Anthony and she put the ball over the bar to leave the half time scores - Tullogher 0-08 Piltown 2-02
Referee John Walsh got the game underway again, and the battle continued, and it turned into the Dearbhla Ryan show, as she scored some great points from out on the left wing. She was a real handful , and was becoming the difference between the two sides. She got her team off to a great start in the second half , as she got a yard of space and shot low, and hard towards goal, and despite Rachels best attempt to keep it out, it ricocheted off her hurley into the net. The start the home side needed.
Kate Anthony put another shot over the bar , Grace Farrell put over two frees, frees that were hard to come by, and with Ruby and Rachel Coady working hard in midfield, they tried to get the ball into the inside forwards , with Eimear Commins working hard to get on the breaking ball.
Tullogher were just picking off their scores , working the ball down the field, and putting it over the bar, it was calm and measured use of the ball by a very skilful team. It was becoming harder for Piltown to get the scores needed to catch them. There always seemed to be two points between the sides, and with some decisions not going our way, it was looking like this brave side would fall short. Fall short they might, but theyd go down battling as always!.
Grace Farrell scored a point in the 50th minute after great interplay from Kate Anthony and firstly , Ruby Norris. But still Tullogher came back with a killer blow in the 58th minute to end the game with a goal and to cement Tulloghers place in the Final.
FULL TIME score Tullogher 2-13 Piltown 2-06
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A massive thanks and Well done to team coaches Kevin, James, Catherine , Aoife, John and David.
Panel – Kate Anthony , Siobhan Aylward , Saoirse Barry, Keelin Brophy , Rachel Coady , Eimear Commins , Grace Farrell , Ava Flynn, Lauren Flynn, Fiona Fogarty , Kate Fogarty , Ellen Knox , Jessica Long, Faye Maher , Cliodhna Malone , Clodagh McCarthy , Katelyn Moore , Ruby Norris , Molly Power , Georgina Quirk , Maia Stokes , Rachel Tennyson.
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Michael Lyng Motors Senior Camogie.
Sunday 8 September 24
Piltown 0-11 Tullaroan 1-06
Piltown maintained their unbeaten run in this years League/Championship with a hard fought victory over Tullaroan on a windy Sunday morning.
The wind was catching out the home side from the start as the first shot of the day drifted to the right and wide, that was a trend for a lot of the half, as the wind blowing towards the Road End goal was pushing shots to the right and wide.
Tullaroan scored first, with Ciara Dunne popping up to put the ball over the bar in the seventh minute, before Aine Doyle opened Piltowns scoring in the 11th, this was followed by the same score from Katie Power soon after . Tullaroan were battling hard as Piltown came at them, but Piltown were missing scores and even though the away side hadn’t many opportunities they weren’t far behind as the wind played havoc with any high ball aimed between the posts. Tullaroan had Grace Walsh sweeping and she was doing a good job at it , and had Shannon Doheny and Beth Grace willing to take the ball forward . Piltown had a good latter fifteen minutes of the first half as Heather Phelan and Kellyann Doyle scored their frees to stretch the lead to 6 points , Niamh Dowling scored Tullaroans second point of the half from a free to leave the score at half time – PILTOWN 0-08 TULLAROAN 0-02.
The scoreline really doesn’t do the half justice , as there was serious hurling done by both side, and it was going to be interesting how the away side would handle that wind in the second half.
Vivienne Holmes got the second half underway and it looked like Tullaroan had maybe taken note of the problems the Piltown side had with the breeze in the first half as Niamh Dowling put over three points from frees in the first 10 minutes to close the gap back to three points. It was tough going now as Tullaroan attacked and had the Piltown defence under pressure, Lorna OShea and Aoife Landers were excellent and they needed to be as the away side put ball in on top of them. It worked to great effect in the 41st minute as a ball into the inside forwards was contested by two Piltown backs and one Tullaroan forward, the ball broke to the other forward, and Eadoin Murphy made no mistake as she hit it high across the goal into the top right hand side of Aoife Norris’s net. The game was now level, and Tullaroan were buoyed by their comeback, with Shannon Doheny playing very well driving her side forward. They then took the lead as Niamh Dowling pointed her fifth free of the game in the 43rd minute.
The game got scrappy, with a few injuries and players down , and this contributed to a low scoring last 15 minutes, but as was said already, the scoring didn’t tell the full story as the two sides battled for the win. And when you are in a battle, you need players to step up to the plate, and theres few better than Kellyann Doyle to do that. She won dirty ball, won tackles and then showed her nerve as she pointed two frees into the wind from beyond the 45 on the left wing to firstly level, and then to take the lead. Sixty minutes gone, and still only a point lead, and then Kellyann found her sister Aine , and Aine made no mistake from out on the opposite wing to leave the scores at the final whistle
PILTOWN 0-11 Tullaroan Camogie Club 1-06
Job done.
MINOR D – Championship Semi Final.
Tuesday 3 September ’24.
Blacks & Whites 3-19 Piltown 2-02.
A dominant display from the home side saw them get through to the Minor D Final as Piltown underperformed.
It was in stark contrast to the League meeting in July when Piltown had the upper hand.
The home side started well, Kayla Farrell scoring the games first point in the first minute, and then Gwen Wade, who was excellent in the previous league meeting , scored a goal in the 5th minute from distance, it was tough for Piltown to get anything going, but Sophie Long did get us on the score board after 7 minutes. We had the breeze and the slope , but still the home side attached and picked off scores. Katie Whelan, Kayla Farrell , Rachel Fitzpatrick , all pointing over Kate Farrells crossbar, as we struggled to cope with the Skeoughs side pace and running. Grace Farrell pointed a free in the 12th minute, and then Molly Power got onto a loose ball around the goal, after Graces free was parried by Ciara Ryan, and Molly struck it to the net.
Would this ignite the Piltown side? It might have, but Saoirse Pilcher scored a goal just on half time, as she did in the League match also, to leave the Half Time Score : B&W’s 2-07 Piltown 1-02
It wasn’t a massive lead, we were still hanging in there. Could we mount a comeback?
It briefly looked like we could as Grace Farrell scored a goal in the 32nd minute as her mishit free somehow made its way to the net through a group of Whites defenders and keeper! The home side took over then though, as they dominated , with the breeze and slope. It was a good display by the home side, and unfortunately, we couldn’t live them once they clicked.
Hard luck , and thanks to our Minors as they are finished for the season, and good luck to the Blacks & Whites team in the final.
FULL TIME SCORES : BLACKS & WHITES 3-19 PILTOWN 2-02
Michael Lyng Motors Senior Championship.
Sunday 1st September.
St Brigids 1-07 Piltown 3-21
Piltown went to Kilmanagh on an overcast Sunday morning in round 2 of the league championship to take on St Brigids and came away with an easy victory. The home side did start the scoring as Tara Ronan put the ball over the Piltown crossbar with a free from far out on the right sideline, and soon after Piltown replied as Kellyann Doyle collected a breaking ball from a Aoife Norris free , and Doyle didn’t miss as she rose the green flag in the third minute. She followed that up with points from a free and a 45 , Brigids replied again through Tara Ronan as she scored another free from almost the same spot as her first.
Brigids drew level in the 7th minute when Leah Brett found space, and no one marking her, from a long Ronan sideline cut, she rounded the oncoming Aoife Norris , and struck it into the net.
Piltown went up a gear after that set back, with points from Katie Power, Leah Cooney and Aoife Doyle. Piltown started with a goal, and they ended with a goal , with roving midfielder Ellen OKeeffe coming in unmarked and pulling on a ground ball that skedadled in under the legs of Miriam Walton in the Brigids goal.
Half Time Score – ST BRIGIDS 1-04 PILTOWN 2-11
The second half continued in the same way that the first half ended, Piltown on top, and scoring. Kellyann , Heather and Leah all scoring points, as the long puckouts , with the breeze and a shorter pitch aiding the Piltown side. Brigids scored three points in the second half with two from Tara Ronan, and one from Lauren Ronan. The third Piltown goal arrived in the 46th minute , scored by Heather Phelan as she kicked the ball into the net after being bundled up by keeper and defender, it was quick thinking by the forward. Chloe Blackmore raised the brát ban after being set up by Kellyann Doyle, and another Doyle ended the match with a fine score, as Aine came short for a pass, got it in hand , turned and struck it over the bar. A fine score to end the game on.
A good victory for Piltown, and we play Tullaroan in Piltown on Sunday 8th September.
Kilkenny River court Hotel Junior Championship.
Friday 30 August.
PILTOWN 2-11 EMERALDS 0-06
A Chloe Blackmore double set Piltown on the road to victory on a balmy , sunny evening in south Kilkenny.
The full forward got her first one early , as she got the ball in hand on the 14 in the 7th minute and as she turned and headed for goal with no other thought on her mind , she hit a rocket of a shot to the net beyond Siobhan OHara in the Emeralds goal.
It was a great start to the game, added to the point scored by Leah Cooney , followed by her second in the 9th minute. Piltown were creating chances as they started very well , Chloe Blackmore broke through on goal again in the 10th minute , and again she blasted the ball towards goal , but this time goalkeeper OHara did brilliantly and deflected the ball over the crossbar.
Emeralds were struggling a bit , and all their play was coming through Anne Dalton in midfield, and she was creating problems for Piltown and the chances for Emeralds. She popped over her first point in the 11th minute to get her side on the score board, with Kaleigh OShea replying for the home side.
The game was free flowing, Dalton created problems but unfortunately for Emeralds , Piltown were defending well , and shutting down most of Urlingford's attacks. Emeralds got a free on the 21 in 16th minute, and as Anne Dalton stood over, most people thought she'd take the point, but not her . She hit a rasper low and hard towards , but luckily, just to the left of the right post of Danielle OBriens goal.
Ella Minogue got free though, enough to score her sides second in the 21st minute, and that was followed by two points from Anne Dalton as they closed to within three points after 26 minutes. It was a mini revival coming up to half time , but a point from Leah Cooney , after being set up by Sophie Long , and a free from Chloe Holden left the scores at half time ,
PILTOWN 1-06. EMERALDS 0-04.
Straight after the restart, Chloe was scoring again as she hit one over the bar , Ciara Dunne then put her name on the score sheet after great work from Aine Hahessy and Chloe Blackmore. It was one way traffic now as Anne Dalton was a little less influencial for the away side , and Piltown were still playing well. Aoife OShea broke through ,found the space and raised a white flag to stretch the lead to eight points. Emma Kenny replied for Emeralds with a point in the 45th minute. Rachel OShea, Ciara Dunne and Chloe Power were on top form throughout as they kept out and cleared any attempts the Emeralds girls tried.
Chloe Blackmore continued her scoring though, with a point after great work from Sinead Long , and the returning Patsy Kenny,who was back on the pitch after a long term injury. It was great to see her back ,and she was back in the thick of it as she broke down ball and delivered it to the forwards. Her pass found Lia OBrien on the left wing , she popped it over the defender and Chloe Blackmore was there again to blast it to the net, and she also finished off a move involving Sinead Long and Antonia Power to finish the scoring.
It was a good display by the home side as they battled well, and scored well. Emeralds were missing players, but also battled well. It's just another step along the road to Championship.
FULL TIME
PILTOWN 2-11 Emeralds 0-06.
U16 Gaeltec Utilities Championship
Thursday 29 Aug ‘24
Piltown 1-15 Glenmore 3-08
A last minute goal from Glenmore wasn’t enough to deny Piltown victory in this exciting fixture in the U16 Championship played in Piltown on a warm sunny Thursday evening
With a lead of four points just heading into second half injury time , it seemed like the home side had done enough, but the team in green had other ideas, and almost pulled it off.
It started out really good from the home side as they built up a four point lead through Grace Farrell and Ruby Norris sharing two points each by the 10th minute until Keelin Byrne reduced it to three with Glenmores first point.
Piltown attacked the Belline house end with the setting sun shining through the trees behind that goal ,and Grace and Ruby tacked on another point each after being set up by some great work from Kate Anthony and Jessica Long in the build up.
It was a half of end to end camogie with great one on one battles in all areas. Ella Sheehan , who was excellent throughout the match, reduced the lead to three points with her first score in the 18th minute, she got her second score soon after , as she pounced on a loose ball after Rachel Tennyson could only deflect a goalbound shot from Aisleann Mullally to score the first goal of the game , and level the match.
It was a bit of a sucker punch to the home side as they were marginally on top in play, and it was a bit of a blow for their four point lead to disappear in the space of four minutes. And then we went behind as Aisleann Mullally did finally get on the scoreboard as she raised a white flag in the 26th minute. Then in the 29th minute , a critical score , Ruby Norris burst through the middle of the Glenmore half back line, and she popped a pass over the top of full back line, and there in behind , with a waiting hand was Fiona Fogarty. Fiona turned and struck the sliothar into the net to put the home side back in front. And as the first half went into added time, Grace Farrell and Aisleann Mullally both raised white flags to leave the scores at half time.
PILTOWN 1-07 GLENMORE 1-05
After a well earned break, the sides returned to the field and straight back at it. Georgina Quirk won possession of the ball in the right corner and passed the ball back to Grace, and she fired it over the bar into the netting beside the All weather pitch. Two minutes later it was Ruby Norris who did likewise as she got possession on the 45 , and sailed the sliothar between the uprights. It was a great start from the home side, but then in the 40th minute another Glenmore goal with the very dangerous forward Ella Sheehan getting it. Not the best way to start for the home side but they slogged away, with Georgina Quirk, Faye Maher, and Siobhan Aylward standing out as the battle to win carried on. And speaking of standing out , Rachel Tennyson stood out in the 49th minute as she pulled off a triple save saving shots from the right, the centre and the left in the space of six seconds ! The ball was being worked and used cleverly by both sides heading towards the 50th minute.
Aisleann Mullally struck two points from frees , Georgina Quirk replied with one after Fiona Fogarty struck the crossbar with a rasper of shot, and as we hit the 55th minute there was two points in it with Piltown leading.
It was frantic now, with both sides battling for the ball, for a score, for the win.
Piltown were keeping Glenmore out, and Grace Farrell put a free over the bar in the 59th minute to stretch the lead to 4 points, Piltown were safe ? No, god not at all, as Glenmore attacked and they struck the bar in the 62nd minute , and then in the 63rd got their third goal through Keelin Byrne. Thankfully the final whistle after the puckout and Piltown progress to the next round with a one point victory.
A great game played by two athletic, competitive , skilful side. Hard luck to Glenmore, as goals usually win games !
FINAL SCORE – PILTOWN 1-15 GLENMORE 3-08.
Junior Championship Rd 1
Sunday 25 Aug 24.
Tullogher 3-15 Piltown 1-04.
Piltown travelled down to Tullogher on Sunday evening to take on the home side in a first round meeting but unfortunately for the away side , the game was out of sight by half time.
Tullogher were on top throughout, with a great intensity and running game that we just could not match.
Kate Lyng opened the scoring for the home side in the first minute , and had her second 3 minutes later, and then an important moment as Clara Walsh got inside her marker , and from an angle to the left of goal, she gave Danielle OBrien no chance for the games first goal. The ball was delivered back down the pitch , and Sinead Long got Piltown on the score board with a point. The next score was Tulloghers and was another goal, this time from Aimee Hanrahan, the goal was given despite protests from the Piltown players of the ball being thrown. Kate Lyng and Hanrahan scored 2 more points each either side of a point from Mollie Ryan to stretch their lead.
Danielle OBrien pulled off numerous great saves throughout the game, and the first one was from a penalty in the 20th minute after a foul, Danielle deflected it wide, and from the resulting 45 , Emily Falconer made sure no score was got with a brave block at the right post. Piltown were making forays forward, and Ciara Dunne went on a solo from halfway and put the sliothar over the bar from just inside the 45. Chloe Holden then got our last two points of the half to leave the score at half time Tullogher 2-07 Piltown 0-04
Kate Lyng scored the first point of the second half straight from throw in, before Piltown got a lifeline as Leah Cooney got the ball in hand on the 14 and from a slight angle towards the left, she hit a bullet back across the goal into the right corner leaving Eabha Doyle with no chance. The game turned into a battle between the two half back lines and we had to wait a further 13 minutes for the next score, and Tullogher stepped it up to five points in the next ten minutes to kill the game.
Piltown had chances for goals though but some great defending, blocks, and keeper kept the ball out of the net.
Chloe Power, Sophie Long and Rachel OShea were excellent on the night for Piltown, but Danielle OBrien was doing her best in goal to keep out the rampaging Tullogher forwards, driven largely by the very quick Sarah OSullivan.
The game petered out in the last few minutes , and Mollie Ryan got in and scored Tulloghers third goal in the 58th minute.
Final Score : Tullogher 3-15 Piltown 1-04
Michael Lying Motors Senior Championship rd1.
Sunday 25 August '24.
DOYLES DO DAMAGE.
The Iverk show may have been on the previous day, but the Piltown show was on this morning as the home side confidently dispatched the visiting side from Clara.
Championship first round can be a banana skin for favourites as they can sometimes be caught cold, but that never looked like being the case as Piltown started very strong and didn't let up.
With nine different scorers on the day, the home side made good use of the strong breeze that was blowing in their favour towards the road goal with a slight tail towards the left corner. Sophie Holden opened the scoring in the second minute, quickly followed by Kellyann Doyle , Heather Phelan , and Aoife Doyle all scoring points. Heather then raised the first green flag after being put through by a great hand pass from Katie Power.
Piltown were running at Clara , and the visitors struggled to match it, and when Kellyann scored the second goal of the game after a great move involving Ellen OKeeffe , Aoife Doyle and then Katie Power in the 13th minute, it was 2-07 to no score. It was one way traffic until Rebecca Nolan scored Clara's first score in the 25th minute and that was quickly followed up with one from play from the hurley of Emma Shortall.
Piltown weren't letting up though as they continued to work the score board, the best of them being Katie Power scoring a monster of a point from the half way line after picking up a loose ball after a great block by Aoife Doyle.
Half Time : PILTOWN 2-16 CLARA 0-02
During the half time interval, we had the U10 camogs from Piltown and Clara play on the pitch, a nice treat for players and parents alike , as we surely saw Senior players of the future from both clubs.
It was a massive lead that Piltown had, but it wasn't through lack of effort that Clara were behind, Piltown were humming, and the Doyle sisters were the conductors.
Kellyann scored another point just after the restart, to continue the scoring, but then Clara grabbed a small lifeline as Niamh Byrne scored a goal from the right side into the net of Piltown keeper Aoife Norris. That was just a brief flicker of hope though as the home side kicked on again, scoring freely from play , and from placed ball to stay out of sight. Clara were scoring more in the second half as Mary OConnell put over three frees and Rebecca Nolan repeated her pointed free in the first half to score the sixth point of the game for Clara.
All in all , a great performance from the home side , and a great start to the Kilkenny Camogie senior Championship.
Final score : PILTOWN 2-27 Clara 1-06
Well done to our u12 team who travelled up to near neighbours Windgap on Sunday 10th Aug for a league match.
On a beautiful sunny morning both teams showed fantastic skills and great work rate in the ever increasing heat.
Leading by a point at half time, the Piltown girls knew they had a tough battle ahead in the second half.
The lead changed hands a few times in the second half, but our girls dug deep and found 2 late goals to emerge victorious.
A great display by all.
The mighty U10s took part in a blitz at the Castlegannon show on Sunday 10 Aug hosted by Ballyhale Shamrocks, where they took on Ballyhale , Mullinavat agus Thomastown . The girls played really well and enjoyed their morning of Camogie !!
Buala bos ar na Cailini !!! Agus go raibh maith agut ar na Seamroga Baile hEil .
Minor League.
PILTOWN 4-20 BLACKS & WHITES 2-07
Thurs 25 July ’24.
A triple from Long jump starts the League.
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Sophie Long scored 3-03 in a game where the home side couldn’t miss and punished the away side at every opportunity , especially in a strong second half showing.
Piltown had a great win over Blacks & Whites on a sunny evening in Baile an Phoill. We played towards the sun that was setting behind Belline House in the first half as the slight breeze favoured the away side.
It took four minutes for the first score to arrive , and it did off the hurley of Gwen Wade as she made no mistake from a free and as it turned out she was going to get plenty opportunities from placed balls as Piltown were giving away frees in scorable positions, and she got her second from a placed ball in the 13th minute.
Soon after we had a placed ball of our own , but it was a penalty , Grace Farrell was hindered on her way to goal. Grace stood over it, slightly mis hit it , and the ball went over the bar , a let off for the away side.
Grace followed that point, with another from play , before a great moment in the 17th minute as Ella Fogarty passed to Sophie Long , she turned and struck it to the back of the Skeogh girls net , nothing that Kate Long on goal for Blacks & Whites could do.
The away side were dangerous, as they attacked mainly through Gracie Cleere and Gwen Wade, and it was Wade that scored another two points, 1 free, before Piltown struck again. It was the same players involved again, as an Emma OShea pass to Ella Fogarty was laid off to Sophie Long, and Long was closer to goal this time and put it inside the right hand post in the 23rd minute.
Again, B&W’s scored through a free from Gwen Wade , before Piltown got their third goal of the half, this time from Grace Farrell as she put a thunderbolt to the net. Farrell was flying as she put two more shots over the bar to put Piltown 8 points up with three minutes left.
But then Blacks & Whites raised green flags of their own with two goals , as they put the ball over the line from close range, and just on the stroke of half time , a speculative shot from far out from Kate Kelly squirmed past Kate Farrell on goal.
Half Time score – PILTOWN 3-04 BLACKS & WHITES 2-05
A two point lead starting the second half, was stretched out to seven within 5 mins as Grace scored another two points, and Sophie got her third goal of the game in the 35th minute. A great start , and the tide was going in the favour of Piltown now, as they were winning the battles around the pitch.
Katelyn Moore was having a stormer alongside Saoirse Barry and Faye Maher, Emma OShea was everywhere , Jessica Long and Molly Power were getting better as the game went on , With Lia OBrien and Georgina Quirk providing good ball to Ella Fogarty, Grace Farrell and Keelin Brophy , all the play was going towards the Clubhouse end. Gwen Wade was playing very well also, and she got her 6th point of the game in the 37th minute as she tried to kickstart her team.
Try as she might though, Piltown were on fire. Grace Farrell continued to over work the umpire with the white flag, from play , frees and 45s. Molly Power scored a great point in the 40th minute , before Sophie Long scored two absolute beauties from the right hand corner of the pitch , with Jessica Long also scoring a point from the left hand side, a score her second half performance deserved.
A great display by the Piltown girls, and also from Blacks & Whites , who never gave up , regardless of the score.
FULL TIME SCORE - PILTOWN 4-20 BLACKS & WHITES 2-07.
U14 A Championship Rd1.
Piltown 3-09 John Lockes 2-12
Tuesday 23 July ‘24
Katie Casey Converts Chances ….
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Piltown forward Katie Casey struck two goals against John Lockes in an enthralling Championship game on Tuesday evening.
It swung from end to end throughout the entire game, and a draw was probably a fair result for both sides. That being said, both sides probably think they should have won it, and the away side even more so.
It was even steven for the first 15 minutes as Ruby Norris and Robyn Corcoran traded scores , with points from play, frees and 45’s.
Corcoran , in at full forward , was causing trouble as she came short to win ball and was putting them over the bar , leaving her with five points after 18mins.
She was a goal threat also, with Rachel Tennyson pulling off numerous saves in the first half to keep her clean sheet intact. Kate Fogarty was then switched to mark her, and that began the battle of the game between the two on the edge of the square.
There were battles all over the pitch , and it looked like the Callan side were edging ahead when Eadoin Lynch got their sixth point in the 21st minute followed by another from Rachel Kennedy to put them four up just before half time. But then a ball was dropped into Siobhan Aylward, she worked it towards goal, and there was Katie Casey to sweep it home for the games first goal. Piltown needed that , and as the saying goes “ a great time to score a goal”.
Half time score PILTOWN 1-03 JOHN LOCKES 0-07
Referee Quilty got the game back under way and the battles resumed, with Lucie Little, Maia Stokes, Abbie Norris, Ava Flynn in the thick of things, and they had to be as Callan upped the pressure straight away. The John Lockes number 12 , Ruth OSullivan scored two quick points to stretch the lead back out to three points until Ruby Norris got her own two, one from a 45, and another from play. This was a great team score after a great move all down the pitch involving Maia Stokes who plucked the ball out of the air from a Rachel Tennyson puck out , she passed it onto Rachel Coady, she passed to Ruby and she struck it over the bar, reducing the lead back to one point.
Then we had three goals in three minutes , Piltown stuck first in the 37th minute , once again through Katie Casey as she displayed a goal poachers instinct as she put a loose ball into the net beyond Aoife Henriques reach in the Lockes goal.
Piltown were now ahead, for the second time in the game, and it was game on. Rachel Kennedy was flying in the Callan midfield and she was getting onto a lot of ball, she broke through the Piltown defence and rocketed a ball past Rachel in goal. And she repeated it again in the 40th minute , with another shot leaving the Piltown keeper with no chance.
John Lockes were now four points up, there was still 20 minutes left, but their tails were up now. Another two frees from Ruby steadied us a wee bit, and while Lockes were shooting a lot of wides, Piltown were regaining their composure. Rachel Kennedy continued her good form in the second half with another two scores before a lifeline for Piltown. Ruby struck a speculative shot from beyond the 45 yard line, at that height that is a nightmare for keepers, and it dropped in under the crossbar, and just over the keepers hurley to level the game.
The intensity continued for the final ten minutes with both sides having some near ,and some bad, misses. With five minutes left , we were ahead, until Eadoin Lynch levelled with a point from play.
And then in the 60th minute there was a chance for John Lockes to win it , after a great block by Cliona Gleeson prevented a score and it went out for the 45. The resulting 45 was struck to the left and short, Piltown cleared it, and the final whistle blew on a great game of Camogie. A great game to watch, and well done to both teams on their effort, skill and determination.
Final Score : PILTOWN 3-09 JOHN LOCKES 2-12
Piltown Panel :
Lucie Little, Siobhan Aylward , Katie Casey , Blathnaid Munroe , Brinnagh Ivory, Rachel Coady , Ava Flynn, Lauren Flynn , Kate Fogarty , Mai Gahan , Cliona Gleeson , Aoife Malone , Abbie Norris , Ruby Norris , Sarah OShea , Maia Stokes , Rachel Tennyson.
Junior Lge Shield Final .
Friday 12 July.
PILTOWN 2-10. ERINS OWN 0-13.
Blackmore and more.. and more...
Piltown forward Chloe Blackmore gave a fine display of finishing in this Shield final against a tough, gallant Erin's Own side in a game that was close right to the final whistle.
Blackmore ended the game with a total of 2-07 as the home side had to dig deep to get the victory.
The scoring started quickly as there was five points in the first five minutes as Sinead Long scored on the first attack , that was followed from a 45 as Chloe opened her scoring as we were shooting towards the Clubhouse end. The side from Castlecomer got their first two points through their fast forward and then they took the lead through Shannon Feehan after five minutes.
It was a fast game with non stop attack from both sides, as we went through ten minutes of no scores before Chloe levelled through a free , and this seemed to kick start the scoring again as Chloe put over another free in the 16th minute , before Erins Own raised a white flag of their own with a point from Grace Buggy. Chloe replied with two more points from play , as it was end to end stuff. It wasn't as easy as it sounds, as both sides had to work hard to get their scores. Georgina OCallaghan got her first score of the game with a well taken free, before Sinead Long got her second with a strike over the bar. There was tough tackling in every position , with Katelyn Moore and Emma OShea excelling , both fast into a tackle, and clearing the ball. Sophie Power and Alice Talbot were also winning a lot of ball as the Comer forwards were fast and dangerous.
Chloe finished our scoring in the 29th minute from a 45, before Georgina OCallaghan continued her accurate free taking with two more before the half time whistle.
Half time score PILTOWN 0-08 ERINS OWN 0-07.
The second half was only 3 minutes old when Chloe Blackmore got the ball in hand inside the 14 and buried it in the net to stretch the lead out to four points , a great start to the half!
The away side didn't seem to panic at that blow, as they worked the ball down and it came to Grace Buggy , she made no mistake putting the yellow sliothar over Danielle OBriens crossbar. Once again the ball swung down towards the Comer goal , as Alice Talbot played it to Ciara Dunne, she gave it to Aoife OShea, the ball came loose and Blackmore was there to bundle it over the line from a yard. They all count , and this one put us six points up after 39 minutes, Chloe then scored another point from play to stretch it further.
It reverted back to a game played between the two half forward lines and there was savage tackling as one team fought to stay ahead while they other fought to get back into it, and they did, with four points scored between the 50th and 56th minutes scored by Shannon Feehan, Meadbh Walsh and another two frees from Georgina OCallahan. It was now a three point game, what a finish , space was appearing as players tired, and Emma OShea capped her great performance with a point in the 56th minute to put us four points up , before Georgina OCallaghan scored her sixth point of the game in the 58th minute to end the scoring.
A great performance all round by our Juniors , and also from Erins Own who acquitted themselves admirably throughout, and will surely go well once championship starts.
Well done to all the panel and mentors on a great win.
FINAL SCORE : PILTOWN 2-10 ERINS OWN 0-13
Senior ACL Quarter Final.
Friday 5th July ’24.
Piltown 0-11 St Martins 1-11.
Piltown exited the ACL at the Quarter final stage as St Martins stole a victory with the last puck of the game deep in injury time.
It was tough on the home side , but equally , it was of their own making as St Martins were still in the game at the stage due to points from frees.
St Martins scored seven points from frees in total, and they were unerringly put over the bar each time by Tara Roche as she gave a great display of free taking in chilly wet conditions.
It had started so well for the home side as they scored unanswered points from Ellen OKeeffe, Leah Cooney and two from Sophie Holden before Martins got their first , from a free from Tara ………. Then Chloe Blackmore took her chance well as she Turned inside and pointed from a central position after a nice low ball in front of her from Heather Phelan.
Then Martins got themselves back into it as Tara Roche got the games only goal in the 11th minute when she was found with a hand pass and she turned , realised she had space and time and hit it from the 14, into the left hand corner of the goal.
16 mins gone and Aine Doyle caught a high ball back on her own 21, turned inside, played a diagonal pass in to Sophie holden on half way, she lobbed it into Heather, who controlled and laid off a perfect hand pass to the flying Ellen OKeeffe , and she placed it over the bar , a beautiful move from back to front. It was a rare bright moment on an otherwise dull, overcast wet evening, as the conditions weren’t helping either side.
Kelley Comerford from St Martins put a ball over Mairebeths crossbar in the 17th minute, as the game ambled along leaving Tara to score another free and a 45 to close the scoring for St Martins. Ellen OKeeffe , who was playing really well throughout ,got her third of the half in the 18th, Heather Phelan pointed from a free soon after, before Aine Doyle got our final point of the half to leave the half time score PILTOWN 0-10 ST MARTINS 1-04
We continued the score into the second half with Sophie Holden and Heather Phelan (free) both pointing. St Martins then got on top as they took advantage of frees scoring three and a 45 from the hurley of Tara ….. Sophie scored her fourth of the game to try stop the momentum that the away side now had , but they took advantage of the fouls ,and by the 56th minute they were level as they got three points from frees to set up a nervous final few minutes. At this stage we were wondering if we needed to turn on the lights as the clouds, and rain were making it a very dark , wet evening. On the pitch though it wasn’t cold, as both sides battled to get the winning score to put them through to the semi final.
We had our chance, as Alice Talbot boomed a clearance down the field, it got to Sophie, she rose it off the wet grass onto her hurley, hand passed it along to Heather Phelan coming in towards goal , heather had it, turned, and struck for goal. It was blocked by Eillis Regan and she gladly cleared it out toward the right wing back , she lost it, Aine got it. She played it in towards Leah Cooney, but a sliding tackle took the ball away from her, it squirmed out to Aoife OShea who had a shot, but it dropped short.
It was worked out the Martins left side calmly as it got to Hazel Moone on the Piltown 45, she turned inside one, then outside another and was off and running . Was this it ?
She headed towards goal, defenders in hot pursuit, the angle is too tight? Shes gone too far , but not in her mind and she took her shot. It looped up , and it dropped down. Wide ? Point? The ref signalled a point , and Martins were ahead in the 63rd minute.
On the restart, the whistle was blown, and Piltown were out. An exciting end to a tough game played in very tough conditions.
Final Score – PILTOWN 0-13 ST MARTINS 1-11
Senior A.C.L
Windgap 1-09 Piltown 6-14.
Friday 28 June ’24.
Goals win games..
Piltown went for the jugular as they took on Windgap on a cool , overcast Friday evening on the last weekend in June.
Both sides were missing players, but Piltown coped better and overpowered the home side with a clinical display , scoring three goals in each half.
The home side did open the scoring through Molly Walsh in the first minute with Sophie Holden replying with one for Piltown in the second minute. Then some fine play from the away side , Aine Doyle won the ball on the left sideline from a Windgap puckout, she turned , hit a diagonal ball to Heather Phelan who caught the bouncing sliothar , Heather turned and placed a perfect ball into the hand of Leah Cooney , she turned inside onto her left , and bulleted the ball into the top right corner of the net, what a finish !
In fairness to the home side they came right back at Piltown, as the ball was worked down their right side , it broke to Margaret Foley , she got the ball into her hand, and despite being tight to the end line, she struck a low shot to the right of Mairebeth Kirby and into the net. It was a great reply by the home side, as they also struck a post , but despite that Windgap goal Piltown took over scoring 1-06 through points from Aine Doyle ,Heather Phelan , Leah Cooney, Chloe Blackmore, and Sophie Holden , who also grabbed the goal in the 14th minute.
Windgap stemmed the tide a little bit with two frees from Molly Walsh in the 24 and 25th minutes , before Aine Doyle grabbed a goal after Sophie Holden caught a high ball, handpassed it off to Aine, and she made no mistake from the right. Sophie and Heather finished off the half with points to leave the score Windgap 1-03 Piltown 3-09.
John Walsh threw in the ball to start the second half, and Piltown resumed their scoring as Aine , Sophie and Ellen OKeeffe took advantage of some great ball from the
hard working Alice Talbot and Niamh Culleton to increase the lead. Tessa Condon and Margaret Purcell scored points in response as they battled hard to come back into the game , but three goals in three minutes ended all their hope as green flags from Heather Phelan and two for Chloe Blackmore put the game to bed by the 46th minute.
Windgap scored two more frees from the hurley of Molly Walsh again , before Ellen OKeeffe scored the last two scores of the match to leave the score at full time
Windgap 1-09 Piltown 6-14.
A Quarter Final spot awaits against St Martins to be played in Piltown this coming Friday.
U16 B League Quarter Final
Mon 24 June ‘24
Piltown 1-12 Rower Inistioge 3-16
Piltown bowed out at the Quarter final stage after a flying Rower Inistioge put in a strong second half performance to go through to a semi final.
The away side were largely inspired by the two Kennys , Meabh and Muireann, as they accounted for 1-13 between them of the Rowers scores on the night. Piltown were missing a few starters and the younger girls that were called upon displayed great skill and tenacity throughout the game.
The first half was a close 30 mins as there was only a point between the sides as Maurice Flynn blew the half time whistle. Ruby Norris scored a great goal for Piltown in the 15th minute as she burst through the centre, and nearly burst the net with a rasping shot to the right of Heidi Culleton on the Rower goal. Meabh Kenny had already gotten the first goal of the game in the 10th minute , and the sides traded points via Grace Farrell, Ruby Norris for Piltown and Meabh Kenny, Muireann Kenny and Mia Barron for the Rower.
Both sides were creating chances, as Rachel, Faye, Ava and Lauren were a tough back line to break down and they needed to be as they were kept busy throughout, as were Jessica Long, Katelyn Moore and Clodagh McCarthy in front of them.
Half Time score Piltown 1-06 Rower Inistioge 1-07
The whistle went to start the second half and straight away the sides swapped scores through Grace Farrell and Muireann Kenny from a placed ball. It was a battle in midfield to win the breaking ball from the long puckouts of Heidi Culleton in goal for the Rower, Maia Stokes and Abbie Norris winning plenty and passing the ball off to their forwards of Eimear Cummins and Molly Power , and it was Molly that scored the next point in the 34th minute , with Kilkenny U14 captain Ruby adding another right after to level the scores. The away side upped it a gear and begun to get a stronger hold of the game, as the two Kennys made difficult angles look easy , as feet were planted and their shots were going over the crossbar of Rachel Tennyson.
It was still a close game though heading into the last 15 minutes until the turning point happened in the 46th minute as Saoirse Furlong grabbed a goal for the away side and put her side five points ahead. The inside forwards were trying hard with Ellen Knox and Keelan Brophy, and Katie Casey kept scoreless by some tight marking.
The very young home side were running out of steam now after such intense effort in the evening sun , and the Rower picked off scores as the space was making it easy to do so.
Ruby and Grace tagged on another couple of points , before Laoise Kehoe added to her earlier point with a goal from close range after being set up by Eimear Cotteral to leave the final score
Piltown 1-12 Rower Inistioge 3-16.
A great effort by all the girls, and a great game to watch. Best of luck to The Rower/Inistioge Camogie Club for the rest of the league.
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U10 & U12 'Design a Poster competition.
We held a "Design a Poster" competition for the U10 and U12 panels , where they had to do they own drawing for the "Go Games" competitions.
The drawings submitted were judged by the 6 Piltown girls on the KIlkenny senior panel, Aoife Norris, Aoife Doyle, Kellyann Doyle, Katie Power , Emily McCarthy and Laura Norris.
The winning entries were then used to promote the Go Games involving Piltown throughout the season.
Winners Keelagh OShea and Amber Moore with Aoife Norris and Aoife Doyle with their signed Kilkenny camogie jersey.
Our u12 team travelled to Thomastown on Sunday 2nd June to take part in the John Prendergast Festival of hurling and camogie.
Well done to Thomastown Gaa on a fantastically organised and well run tournament, with clubs from across the country taking part.
Our girls played 6 games throughout the day in beautiful sunshine, against clubs from Dublin, Meath, Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny.
Despite having a young panel, they showed tremendous skills and work rate in the blistering heat, they had a few hard earned victories and a couple of narrow loses.
A very enjoyable day, and already looking forward to next year’s festival.
Well done to our girls and coaches ! And well done to Thomastown Camogie Club on a fab day of camogie
Junior ACL 24.
James Stephens 4-08 Piltown 5-04
Friday 31 May.
The start of a bank holiday weekend is usually a good feeling, but for Piltown at least , it wasn't as a home side on the Kells road battled to victory over a below par away side.
The ending might not be good , but it was a great start when *number 19 of the Village goaled in the ninth minute, and that was followed by a point scored by *number 12 to give the home side a lead of four after ten minutes. Sophie Holden then put Heather Phelan through and as Heather headed towards goal it looked like she would be hoked, but no, Heather kicked the ball into the net for the first green flag for Piltown.
Leah Cooney made the game all square with her usual well taken score in the 13th minute. Piltown were being penalised for fouls and they were being penalised as *number 12 was unerring in her free taking. She put three over the bar before Sophie Holden went on a slalom run through the Village defence and scored her first point of the game as Piltown launched a barrage before the half ended. Sophie scored her first goal in the 26 minute, this was matched by Chloe Blackmore, and then by Marlise Flynn after great work by Lorna OShea and Sophie Holden got the ball to her.
HALF TIME - James Stephens 1-04 Piltown 2-04.
Piltown were now shooting towards the club house end and the setting sun, but for the first ten minutes of the half the play was heading the opposite direction as the Village pegged back the Piltown lead, and then went ahead , all through the shooting of *number 12 as she put over two frees before a turning point. Lisa Norris was adjudged to have fouled a forward and a penalty was the result.
*Number 12 faced Emily Falconer ,and she struck it powerfully to the left and they were now leading, and added to it with another pointed free in the 40th minute. Fouls and lapses in concentration were affecting the Piltown flow, and they were struggling to get back into it as they struck some shots and frees wide and it took until the 43rd minute for Sophie Holden to get her , and Piltowns , second goal of the night in the 43rd minute. It was a brief flicker of hope, but that wasn't lasting long as the clock ticked down and the Village were leading heading into the 55th minute and then goal number two for James Stephens as *number8 stole in and put it past a Piltown defence that were caught on their heels.
The Village weren't finished though as their scored their third goal in the 59th minute to put them seven points up. Game over , goodnight and God bless?
Not really , as the fighting spirit returned , albeit a bit belatedly, and Piltown hit two quick fire goals of their own through Sophie and Chloe. Too little too late though and James Stephens hung on to be one point ahead at the final whistle.
FINAL SCORE – 4-08 James Stephens Piltown 5-04.
*No team sheet
Senior A.C.L.
Clara 1-15 Piltown 2-13.
Sunday 26 May 24.
That winning Phelan.
Heather Phelan proved to be the match winner as she scored a winning injury time goal from a free to beat a Clara side that will feel a little hard done by after battling hard throughout the 60 plus minutes and had the lead for a majority of it.
The home side started well under a bright cloudless sky with Emma Shortall opening the scoring with a point in the first minute. Keara Ryan started her day off in the 6th minute as she put her first free of many over the bar. Clara were going well early on, but Piltown soon got going too, with Aine Doyle pointing in the 7th minute and she soon got her second after good play from Alice Talbot, and then Emily McCarthy to set up Aine. She made it a hattrick of points in the 16th minute after her sister Kellyann laid off a pass. 16 minutes gone and Piltown were leading three points to two.
There was a lull in scoring as both sides were denying each other shooting opportunities. Then the game was alive again as Keara Ryan scored two frees and a point from play inside three mins to twist the lead the home sides way. Heather Phelan pointed a free in the 28th minute and then Sophie Holden got our fifth point of the half after great work by Chloe Blackmore winning and laying off the ball. Keara Ryan had Clara’s last score of the half form another free in the 30th minute.
Half time score : CLARA 0-06 PILTOWN 0-05.
The second half started with a bang, as Keara Ryan , once again, pointed straight from the throw in from out on the right wing , the puckout was then sent towards the town end by Laura Norris into the hand of Chloe Blackmore, she turned the defender and headed for goal, jinked to the left inside the full back and buried it off her left side past Aoife Glynn in the Clara goal to put Piltown one ahead. Puck out straight up the other end and Rebecca Nolan levelled it again, then straight back down the other end and Lorraine Long pointed as she scooped up a loose clearance. Four scores in the opening three minutes of the second half.
Aine Doyle was next to score after Heather laid off a ball to her, Aine made no mistake to put the away side two points ahead. The next Clara score came 10minutes later as Emma Shortall took advantage as Piltown couldn’t clear their lines , she played it on the ground to Keara Ryan who got it to the onrushing Aisling Curtis who burst past two defenders towards the right side, and she placed the ball beautifully back to the left side, leaving Emily Falconer in the Piltown goal no chance. Now they were back in the lead.
The goal gave the team in Maroon a lift as they got the next two through Emma Shortall and Keara Ryan , with Heather replying in the 43rd minute after a lovely pass to hand , Heather dropped the shoulder to the left, turned right and put it over.
Aoife Glynn in the Clara goal pulled off a great save from a Chloe Blackmore bullet from close range and deflected the goalward shot over the bar as Piltown came back at them again, and the ever reliable forward Keara Ryan was doing the damage up front to keep them in front as she tagged on another two points to leave them that amount ahead with 10 minutes left.
Ryan and Phelan swapped points in the 51st and 52nd minute as we got nearer the final whistle with the result still in the balance, with Ryan also adding a pointed 45 in the 55th minute , and another free in the 60th minute to leave them 4 points ahead entering injury time.
As the black thundery looking clouds rolled in from the Kilkenny city side , it was nervy stuff, but no nerves were showing for Aine Doyle as she got two points from frees to make it a 2 point game deep in injury time.
The drama wasn’t finished yet as Piltown are awarded a free on the 21 yard line.
Heather Phelan stood over it, and after a bit of advice from the line, she took one step back, rose and struck it high.
How high ? Was it too high ? It was just high enough to go in over the keepers head , and not high enough to go over the bar, instead it hit the net ! What drama to end the game , as that was the final action of a very good game of camogie.
A bit rusty maybe, but cobwebs were blown off , and the Piltown girls battled until the very end.
FINAL SCORE : Clara 1-15 PILTOWN 2-13
Minor League .
Bennettsbridge 8-14 Piltown 1-08.
Mon 20 May 24.
A game played 12 V 12 due to low numbers for both sides due to upcoming exams on a warm breezeless evening in Bennettsbridge.After buying a cup of tea and bun from the big spread inside the gate , we settled down on the pitch side benches in hope more than expectation.
Expectation was raised though when Grace Farrell put the first chance over the bar in the first minute to open the scoring, only for Aoibhe Ryan to match it straight away.
There was massive areas of space on the big field and 12 aside was always going to make this a tough game with plenty of running. And the home side were full of running as they made great use of the space and great use of the ball as they scored 2-03 before Grace scored her second point , and then a goal after a great pass from Molly Power.
The Bridge were clinical , great running and excellent use of the ball as went for scores to kill off the away side. Grace got her third point of the half, and Emma OShea continued her scoring run with a point just before the half time whistle. HT Score – Bennettsbridge 4-08 Piltown 1-04.
A game barely within reach of a comeback was surely killed off by the home side as they got two goals inside the opening two minutes of the second half as Amy Gorey and Amelia Wemyss raised the green flag , Weymss’s third goal of the night. Grace and her teammates kept plugging away , as she scored three points in the second half with Ella Fogarty pointing a free .
As the extra space, the extra running, yellow cards, a red card, some unsavoury pulling and pinching, no subs to replace tired bodies and misplaced comments all took the game to its final whistle leaving the home side comfortably ahead.Piltown girls tried their best and didnt give up.
Final Score Bennettsbridge 8-14 Piltown 1-08
U8 Blitz.
Saturday 18 May 24.
Our U8s had a great day on the pitch on Saturday as we had visiting teams from Slieverue GAA & Camogie Club and Tullogher Camogie Club .
Great skills on display , great fun had , and great memories for our Camogs .Massive thanks to Emma OShea and Emily Falconer for refereeing the games .
A jersey was presented to Anna Delahunty who is heading overseas. Well done to players , coaches refs and travelling teams.
Junior Lge. Rd4.
Piltown 1-11 Dicksboro 1-19
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Friday 17 May 24.
Our Juniors took on the Boro on an overcast warm evening on a 'front pitch' that had a lush green colour, but was a bit soft in places due to the incessant rain over the previous two days.
It didn't take long after the throw in for scores to arrive as Aine Doyle pointed two quick frees to get the home side in front by the fourth minute. Aoibhinn Deegan got two of the next three points for the team in maroon as the game went end to end , and by the tenth minute Leah Cooney got a point from play before Aine scored her third free , before Angela Carroll , wearing number 8 equalised.It was really end to end with the Boro getting a foothold around the middle of the park and delivering great ball into their forwards , with Sophie Roberts and Emer Phelan proving a handful as they picked off points.
The home side were picking off their own points too with Aine Doyle getting another from play after a pass laid off by Alice Talbot, and then full forward Marlise Flynn confidently pointed a free from the right wing in the 19th minute to put Piltown back in front. That was to be the for last time though as the away side upped a gear and dominated the last ten minutes of the half to score the next six points before Piltown got their next score through Leah Cooney as she finished off a lovely move after great work from Niamh Culleton who passed the sliothar to Chloe Blackmore , and Chloe found Leah in space.
Half time - Piltown 0-08 Dicksboro 0-13
Piltown were shooting towards the Showfield now as referee John Walsh got the second half underway. And, similar to the first, the scores weren't long coming as Cara Duggan put it over the bar before a real turning point after three minutes.Boros number 11 , Lisa Hanrick won a high ball in on the edge of the 21, she laid it off to her right to the waiting Aoibhinn Duggan who beat her marker and put it high to the right of advancing keeper Danielle OBrien and into the net. What a start for the away side! How would the home side react?
They reacted very well , thank you. Chloe Blackmore was fouled on the 21 , just to the right of center, Heather Phelan stood over it and we all expected a point. But Heather thought otherwise and with her first touch since coming on at half time, drove the ball between the defender and keeper on the line and Rachael Egan couldn't get her hurley up in time to deflect it out , and it went into the net.
After 21 scores in the first half, it was hardly going to be as entertaining in this half after that start of two goals in six minutes? Sadly , it wasn't , as the game petered out with the Boro tipping away , taking their points with Cara Duggan , Sophie Roberts , Lisa Hanrick and Emer Phelan all getting scores.Piltown battled on though , and Heather scored a point from a free in the 48th minute before roving half back Emma OShea scored a long free from around the 65 , before Leah Cooney got her third point of the game from close out the game.
A good runout for the girls, with 'plenty done, more to do' as they await their next fixture. Good performances from Sarah Tobin, Alice Talbot, Emma OShea and no lack of effort from all involved.
Well done to Dicksboro, and as was said afterwards 'shur we'll meet again later in the year , no doubt'..
Fingers crossed we will.
Final Score Piltown 1-11 Dicksboro 1-19
Junior League rd3.
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Piltown 5-13*. Blacks & Whites 1-08.
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Friday 19 April ‘24.
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Our Junior team continued the good form as they got their second victory in a row against Blacks & Whites that travelled to Piltown on a beautiful sunny Friday evening.The game was played on our front pitch due to the back pitch having some well deserved work being done on it, and we were shooting towards the road goal end in the first half with the setting sun on our back.
Niamh Culleton opened the scoring with her industry and vigor getting her the ball and she put it over the bar, Blacks & Whites replied through Kate Kelly from a central position. The game started off fast and furious , and there was plenty of action and the away side took the lead in the 9th minute as Cliodhna Murphy stood over a placed ball and put the free over Mairebeth Kirbys crossbar. It was nip and tuck in the early stages as both sides tried to establish themselves, but it didnt take the home side long as we scored 1-04 in the next 5 minutes to rock the away side back on their heels.
Leah Cooney score a point, Marlise Flynn put over two frees, before Chloe Blackmore recieved a pass from Niamh Culleton, and there was no doubt where that was going - straight to the net. But credit to Blacks & Whites as they came back at Piltown , scoring the nest next three points (all from frees) off the hurley of Kate Kelly. Even that wasnt going to deter the team in black & yellow (for the first half anyway) as Lorna OShea lobbed a dangerous ball goalward and it decieved B&Ws keeper Siofra McGilligan and into the net. Chloe Blackmore grabbed another point from play before a deadly finish in the 28th minute was her second goal of the half.
HALF TIME : Piltown 3-07 Blacks&Whites 0-05.
The second half started with Piltown now in white and shooting towards the Showgrounds and into the setting sun , Sophie Holden got her score with a fine point on the run as B&Ws toiled away at trying to stop a team firing on all cylinders. The game was in a bit of a lull, with injuries and frees slowing down any momentum, before the away side kick started it through Cliodhna Murphy as she got a point from a 45, before she stood over a free on the 21 yard line in the 42nd minute , was she going for a point? No.
She struck it hard and head high, and none of the Piltown defenders could stop it and it hit the net . Was this the moment to kick on? But once again, the old adage of ‘ your most vulnerable right after scoring a goal’ was proved correct, as Piltown worked it up the pitch, Sophie Holden picked out Marlise Flynn, and Marlise did the rest as she hit the net with a rocket. Marlise was at it again soon after as this time Heather Phelan found her with a pass, and she got her second goal of the game.
The game was now meandering towards the final whistle as the last ten minutes just passed by. Niamh got her second point , Sophie scored two after being found with great cross field passes , firstly by Chloe Power ,and then by Aine Doyle. *Marlise score her third goal after being dragged down near goal, and just like Murphy for Blacks & Whites earlier, Flynn went for goal and buried in the top corner from just to the right of the post.
Marlise ended the scoring with another pointed free in the 60th minute.
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FINAL SCORE : Piltown 5- 12. Blacks & Whites 1-08
*goal was not recorded in refs final score.
U14 A League
PILTOWN 4-09 JOHN LOCKES 1-06
Mon 15 April 24
Piltown got their U14A campaign off to a great start with a dominant victory over a very good John Lockes side on a sunny, chilly, breezy Monday evening.
Piltown had the advantage of the stiff breeze that was blowing (as usual) towards the Club house end, and were looking to build a lead for when they would have to defend it in the second half. It was a tentative start by both sides as they settled into the game.
Piltown scored first as Ruby Norris stood over a free and put it over the bar , Lockes replied with a point from play to level the scores after 17mins through Robyn Corcoran. It was starting to look like Lockes were doing enough to keep the Piltown score down while they had the aid of the wind, but Piltown seemed to realise what was needed and upped their game.
Rachel Coady , Aoife Malone , Maebh Hearne were working hard to win the ball , and they did . Ruby scored two frees and a 45 in four minutes to start putting a bit of distance between the teams as they used the wind. Ciara Quinn, Ava and Lauren Flynn were marking tight as they upped the pressure to keep out the Callan sides attack.
In the 24th minute Rachel Tennyson stood in her goal , drove the ball down towards the midfield where Kate Fogarty , who had a stormer of a game throughout, got the sliothar , passed it on to Ruby and she struck it over the bar from distance. Lockes were still dangerous though and try as they might they just couldn’t break down a determined resolute Piltown side, they struck the right upright up high and the ball bounced down into the possession of a grateful Maebh Hearne who cleared it away. Up front , full forward Sarah OShea was working hard and not allowing any easy clearances for the overworked Lockes defenders .
This was a very strong ‘ second quarter’ from the team, and Ruby added another free to the tally in the 29th minute , before a hammer blow right on half time. The ball broke around the Lockes 21yard line, Siobhan Aylward got over it, roll lifted the sliothar, turned her marker and blasted the ball to the right of Emma Schweppe in the Callan sides goal. What a finish to the half.
Half time score : Piltown 1-06 John Lockes 0-01.
The sides swapped ends and most people were expecting the away side to come at the Piltown defence , and they started well with Robyn Corcoran again getting the first two points via a free and a well struck 45 , but Mai Gahan, Cliona Gleeson , Eabha OHalloran and Katie Casey were doing very well keeping the score down.
Chances were going to be scarce for the home side now as they played into the strong breeze. And there was two chances from frees in the 39th and 44th minutes that Ruby despatched over the bar.
Rachel Kennedy of John Lockes took over the free taking, and scored one in the 40th minute, and then one from play in the 45th minute to cut the Piltown lead to six points. But then hammer blow number two in the 50th minute as Ruby Norris stood over a free on the left hand side , she drove it towards goal and there, once again, was Siobhan Aylward to grab her second goal of the game. The score might be getting higher , but the hard work still needed to be done, as well demonstrated by Lucie Little when her hurley was broken while putting in a tackle . Twas powerful stuff!
John Lockes weren’t giving up though and added another point, and then a goal from Abi Bryan in the 54th minute. But even that goal couldn’t deter the home side as they kept attacking, and when Maia Stokes set up Ruby at the 21 yard line, everyone expected her to point it, but no, she blasted it high and hard , and it went into the net just below the cross bar , and she doubled her goal tally with a free from distance that eluded all the players around the goal to go into the net.
A great performance by all the girls, in a very competitive game that was very exciting throughout . Well done to both teams.
Final Score : Piltown 4-09 John Lockes 1-06
Piltown Panel :Lucie Little , Siobhan Aylward , Katie Casey , Rachel Coady , Ava Flynn, Lauren Flynn , Kate Fogarty , Mai Gahan , Cliona Gleeson , Maebh Hearne , Aoife Malone , Ruby Norris , Eabha OHalloran , Sarah OShea ,Ciara Quinn, Maia Stokes , Rachel Tennyson.
Senior A.C.L –
PILTOWN 1-10 TULLAROAN 2-14
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Sunday 14 April ’24.
Tullaroan came to Piltown for Round 2 of the All County League on a breezy Sunday evening. We were shooting towards the Clubhouse with the aid of the breeze but it was the visitors that started the brighter with the first three points of the game scored by Shannon Doheny, Eleanor Doheny and a free from Elizabeth Grace.
Sophie Holden replied for the home side with a well taken score from the centre , but it was a short lived reposte though as Tullaroan again returned back up the pitch and scored points from distance from Niamh Dowling and another from Shannon Doheny. It was a lively start from the away side as they ran at Piltown and were getting through the lines and it was keeping the Piltown defence on their toes throughout the half causing Mairebeth Kirby to make three goalscoring saves to keep her side in the half.
After doing all the hurling for the first 20 minutes of the half, the pendulum swung now in Piltowns favour as we scored the next three points from the hurley of Heather Phelan as she notched one from play and two frees from out on the left wing, and then right on half time Sophie Holden got her second of the half from the right side.
Half time – Piltown 0-05 Tullaroan 0-06
Soon after the turn around it was level with Aine Doyle getting a pass from Heather and she put it over the bar. The battle of the game was on the wing between Sophie Holden and Grace Brennan, two quick skilful players that continued battling throughout the game.
The other battle was Tullaroan versus Mairebeth in the Piltown goal, and the green flag was waving after 5 minutes of the second half , as Eleanor Doheny got the ball in hand, broke through the full back line cover and struck it to the net. A great start to the half for the away side.
Leah Cooney got a point straight away from the puckout as Piltown tried to get back in the game, but again Tullaroan took back control with Niamh Dowling and Ella Walton adding three more points before Eleanor Doheny got the crucial second goal from distance in the 48th minute to make the lead eight points.
Aine Doyle tagged on another point , before Chloe Blackmore got her customary goal to give Piltown some hope, but Tullaroan were still scoring points to keep them safe, and Heather Phelan finished off the game with two frees to leave the Final Scores
Piltown 1-10 Tullaroan 2-14.
Junior ACL rd2
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PILTOWN 4-11 TULLOGHER 4-04
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Friday 12 April 24.
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Our Junior team had their second outing in the All County League against Tullogher on a calm fine evening in Piltown.Piltown were shooting towards the Belline House end and opened the scoring through a free from Marlise Flynn in the 3rd minute, this was matched by Aine Doyle in the 5th minute as the home side settled quickly.
Tullogher got their first point from a free from Leah Hanrahan before Marlise was put in by a pass from Sophie Holden , and Marlise made no mistake as she hit the net in the 9th minute off her left side.The green flag was only put down when it was up again , as Sophie got the ball on the right wing, struck it diagonally across to the left side, where Chloe Blackmore was waiting. She got it in hand, brushed off the defender, and struck it into the bottom right corner.
Two goals in a minute and Piltown were totally in control. Marlise scored another free , with Rachel OShea , and Aine Doyle making it three points in three minutes. The away side were having trouble getting past the midfield of the OShea sisters , Lorna and Aoife and the half back line of Chloe Power, Alice Talbot and Sarah Tobin.The 5 girls were standing up to all that the visitors could throw at them and at the other end , Aine Doyle , Rachel OShea and Sophie Holden were giving great service to the inside forwards of Heather Phelan, Marlise Flynn and Chloe Blackmore .
And it was Chloe that set up Sophie for our third goal in a 10 minute spell as she crossed the ball from the left wing over three defenders and Sophie was waiting to get the ball in hand and whipped it to the net.
Tullogher were making occasional forays towards Mairebeth Kirby's goal , but she was being well protected by the full back line of Ella Fogarty , Lisa Norris and Emily Falconer, and Tullogher ended the half with their third point of the half in the 30th minute.
HALF TIME - Piltown 3-05 Tullogher 0-03.
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They scored the last score of the first half and then the first of the second half , as Tullogher hit the net from a free as the Piltown defence were caught out with a well struck free from distance from Leah Hanrahan that went into the top right corner as the away side came out fighting .Marlise then added two more points from frees to her tally , as the game entered a phase of tackles with a few yellow cards handed out.
Despite that Piltown continued to put up scores with Lorna releasing Aine Doyle to put up her third point. Rachel OShea got her second point in the 45th minute , with Sophie Holden putting one over herself in the 50th.
The last ten minutes were helter skelter as Tullogher battled back and got three goals in 7 minutes to make the score a bit closer, as two goals were got from almost on the goalline, and the lead was cut back to four points.
It was a gritty fightback from the away side as they battled their way back into the game, but again the Piltown forwards showed their class as Sophie came down the right wing , she laid it inside to Heather, she struck the ball goalwards, and as it flopped down towards the goal, Chloe Blackmore was there again to poach a goal from a half chance. But again Tullogher fought back and went up the other end and got their fourth goal of the half in the 57th minute.
FINAL SCORE - Piltown 4-11 Tullogher 4-04.
U16 League - RD 2.
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Piltown 3-13 Glenmore 2-10
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Thursday 11 April '24.
Captain Cummins Converts Chances.
Forward Eimear Cummins grabbed two first half goals that made the difference between the sides on a breezy evening in Piltown.Captain Cummins went up for the toss and we ended up shooting towards the Tree end , and Keelin Brophy got the first score for Piltown in the 8th minute after
Glenmore got the first two from Sinead Jones and Keelin Byrne. It was a bright start to the game as the tackles were hard and there was nothing easy.
Ruby Norris scored two points and two frees from Grace Farrell in three minutes put the home side two points ahead after 17minutes as the home side upped the pressure on the Glenmore defence , and then a killer blow in the 18th minute as a shot from Ruby was saved by Saorlaith Mullally and Eimear Cummins was there to tap it into the net.
Piltown had the bit between their teeth now as Saoirse Barry , Grace Farrell and Kate Anthony delivered ball after ball into the inside forwards of Keelin Brophy , Georgina Quirk and Eimear Cummins , Ruby pointed after being put into space by her industrious midfield partner Rachel Cody.
Aisleann Mullally kept the scores moving for Glenmore as she scored a point from play, and from a free as the time ticked towards half time, but it wasnt finished yet, as Eimear was first to react again as a ball bounced around the goalmouth, and she once again put the sliothar in the net to leave the scores at half time
PILTOWN 2-06 GLENMORE 0-05
We now had the breeze as we played towards Clubhouse end , and there was no halftime hangover as the scoreboard was changed immediately as Ruby got a point after Aisleann Mullally got her third of the game from the throw in.Our half back line of Kate Fogarty , Katelyn Moore and Jessica long had their hands full now as the away side stepped up a gear.
Glenmore had Kadhla Croke, Sinead Jones and the impressive Keelin Byrne trying their hardest to get back in the game and they got through a few times but Clodagh McCarthy, Faye Maher and Lauren Flynn cleared a serious amount of ball to keep out the visitors. And when they did get past them , there was Rachel Tennyson in fantastic form in the goal to make 4 superb saves as Glenmore were going for goal now to try get back in the game.
And after Rachel made two goal scoring saves , she launched her long puc down the field , there was Rachel Cody to gain possession, she passed to Kate Anthony and Kate galloped through the midfield , she laid it off to Ruby, Ruby drew the defender out, hand passed to Grace, and she put it over the bar from around the 21 .
A beautiful team score in the 40th minute. Grace added another goal to furtehr stretch the lead.
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Glenmore would not give up though , as they replied with two points of their own. They were leaving space in the midfield now as they chased the game, ideal for a team with players that can gather the ball and run, and this space was exploited by Piltown as Grace got three points in four minutes, and then Keelin Byrne broke through, and this time made no mistake as she buried it past Rachel on goal to narrow the lead to five points, but time was almost out now but still enough for Siobhan Aylward to set up Grace for the final score of a competitive, hard game that kept the supporters interested right until the final whistle.
Full Time Score PILTOWN 3-13 Glenmore 2-10
Leinster League Div 1 Final.
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Piltown 2-13 Na Fianna 3-06 .
Sunday 7 April 24
Piltown travelled to the capital for the third time this year in the Leinster League , and this time they were bringing silverware back down the M7 after defeating Dublin giants Na Fianna on their own pitch after they had won the coin toss to see who would have home advantage after the original venue wasnt playable.
The pitch in Drumcondra was immaculate though and both teams took to the pitch in glorious sunshine in front of a sizeable crowd.Piltown got a great start as Aine Doyle put the ball over the bar in the first minute as we played into a considerable breeze, but this was equalised immediately by Meadbh ni Cheallachain for Na Fianna.
They took the lead in the 4th minute when Ciara OLooney stood over a free on the right hand side and put it over the bar. It was going end to end ,regardless of it being only 5 minutes old , and down in the Na Fianna end Chloe Blackmore got onto the loose ball and put it past Catriona Feeney in the Dubliners goal.
What a great start for the away side, but Na Fianna were on the attack again straight away as they worked the ball to midfielder Grainne Free, she struck it long towards Mairebeth Kirby's goal and it fell dangerously around the square, Meadbh ni Cheallachain pulled on it in midair and it went over the bar.
There was serious tackling going on all over the pitch, especially between the 45s , as the battle for the upper hand and the ball between half backs and midfield was going to be the winning or losing of it.
Ciara OLooney struck another free from out wide over the bar before Heather Phelan struck 3 points in a row , two frees and one from play where she displayed her handling skills, catching a low bouncing ball , turning her marker and putting it over the bar out near the 45 , into the strong breeze in the 18th minute. Ciara OLooney replied with her third of the half in the 19th minute , which proved to be their final score of the half.
Piltown weren't finished yet though as Aine Doyle pointed another free near the 45 in the 23rd minute, Leah Cooney got on the scoresheet with a great lift , turn and strike from the centre, and then a hammer blow as Ellen OKeeffe burst through and placed the ball in the right hand side of the net to leave the half time score :
PILTOWN 2-06 CLG Na Fianna 0-05.
A seven point lead as the second half started and playing with the wind also... Game Over ?
And it looked even more so as Piltown scored the next two points from Chloe Blackmore and Aine Doyle as they got free in central positions. But hang on a minute. Don't hand out the cup yet. Suddenly Na Fianna were bursting through on goal and Ciara OLooney had the ball in the net in the 35th minute.
Okay relax, get the ball down the field, and it was sent into Leah Cooney and she put it over the bar .Na Fianna were now flooding the midfield and going for it, and again they were suddenly through on goal and Sinead Costello raised another green flag to leave the score 2-09 to 2-05 after 42 minutes.
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The home side were on top now and Piltown were wobbling.Once again the numbers in midfield were doing the business for the home side and the ball was coming back in on top of the Piltown full back line, and when Jenni ODea was adjudged to have fouled Sinead Costello in the square it was a penalty and a golden opportunity for the home side. Once again it was Ciara OLooney that stood over the ball , it was her against Marie-beth Kirby in goal.
OLooney went to the left , Kirby did also , but the ball went just above Kirby's outstretched hurley into the net and make it a one point lead! Don't hand out the cup indeed!!
16 minutes left and who would keep their nerve, and no one holds their nerve better than Heather Phelan when she stands over a free, and she scored another free from the centre , 40 yards out. It was all hands on deck now as Alice Talbot, Niamh Culleton, Karen Duggan and Ellen OKeeffe worked hard to keep the Dublin side out , and it was working , they were limiting them to long range passes that were intercepted and turned into counter attacks.
Aine Doyle , Leah Cooney, captain Sophie Holden, worked hard to create chances , and we got three more through Aine, Ellen and Heather to leave the Final Score 2-13 To 3-06 , and a four point victory.
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Leinster Camogie Cathaoirleach Martin Quilty presented the cup to Piltown captain Sophie Holden. A sweet victory after so many near wins over the last few years. Congratulations to all the girls involved and to the great management team striving to get the absolute best out of this panel of players .
Panel - MarieBeth Kirby , Chloe Power, Jenni ODea ,Ciara Dunne , Karen Duggan , Alice Talbot , Lorna OShea , Lorraine Long , Niamh Culleton , Sophie Holden , Leah Cooney , Ellen OKeeffe, Chloe Blackmore, Heather Phelan , Aine Doyle, Rachel OShea, Aoife OShea, Marlise Flynn, Emily Falconer.
Senior A.C.L '24.
Piltown 3-12 Thomastown Camogie Club 2-10.
Sunday 31 March '24
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BLACKMORE- MORE-MORE ...
Piltown started their All County League campaign with a hard earned victory over a handy Thomastown side that had the home team under savage pressure until they drew level and then pulled away late in the second half.
The away side started very well with the aid of the stiff breeze as they played towards the Tree end, with their number 11 Eva Hynes getting two points in the first ten minutes , before Heather Phelan got her first from a placed ball on the 45yard line.
The wind was a factor as Thomastown had a lot of the ball early on, with Therese Donnelly adding a point to their score , before Anna Farrell got the first goal of the game in the 14th minute. Thomastown were on top , and it took a point from Aine Doyle and two from Ellen OKeeffe to settle Piltown down and leave the scores after 15 minutes , 0-04 to 1-03 in favour of the team in Blue. The away side were making use of the strong breeze as they tagged on the scores and they got the next two points through Hynes , before Therese Donnelly raised the second green flag of the day as her speculative shot from distance deceived Mairebeth in goal and it went into the net.
That stretched the lead to seven points with five minutes left in the half, and the home side looked in trouble, but that didn't mean there was panic, and there was certainly no panic when Niamh Culleton got the ball in hand and drove it over the bar, and the half wasn't over yet as great interplay in the full forward line allowed Heather Phelan find Chloe Blackmore , and Chloe made no mistake with her shot from just inside the 21 as it hit the net.
That was the final score of an entertaining first half to leave the score PILTOWN 1-05 THOMASTOWN 2-07.
Thomastown got the first score of the second half as the impressive Eva Hynes got her fifth point of the game from a free. Piltown now had the breeze and the ball was coming in long , this caused a bit of panic in the full back line of the away side as a shot from Niamh Culleton was saved by Libby Begley , but Chloe Blackmore was there to scoop the rebound into the net.
It was down to a three point lead now and Piltown were in the ascendency, and the tide was turning. Heather tapped over a free, Karen Duggan scored a monster point from midfield , and Aine Doyle hit a fine free over the bar from out on the right to level the game in the 47th minute.
It was entertaining stuff played on a windy , cold morning, with a spill of rain and a smattering of mud to keep things interesting, as if we needed anything more than the two teams giving it their all on the back pitch as the game reached the final 15 minutes with the scores level.
But yet again, Thomastown showed they were still in the match , with the sharpshooter Eva Hynes getting her sixth score of the game with a free in the 49th minute to put them back ahead. Ellen O'Keefe replied with her third point , and that was equalled by Heather in the 54th minute as Piltown hit the front for the first time in the game.
Karen Duggan stood over a ball for a free in the midfield , she hit a quick low ball into Heather, she took it in hand , turned and fed the ball to the onrushing Chloe Blackmore , who buried the ball in the net with a rocket of a shot. That seemed to be it , as the game entered injury time, but the scoring wasn't finished as Orla OKeeffe scored a consolation point for Thomastown , before Aine Doyle got the last two points to close out the game and leave the final score
PILTOWN 3-12 THOMASTOWN 2-10.
U16 League Grp B .
Danesfort 1-06 Piltown 2-14.
Mon 25th March ’24.
The first game of the League season was played in Dún Fearta , where our U16 team took to the pitch.
It started out a beautiful sunny (rare at the time!) evening where the setting sun cast enough light for the flood lights to remain off.
Usually in camogie , 45’s are rare enough in a game , but this game bucked the trend where there was two in the first 7 minutes, and scores came from both! Grace Farrell pointed hers , and Danesforts Ellen Hanafin scored hers also , but it was a green flag raised as it went all the way to the net. A great start for the home side.
Ruby Norris hit the next two scores, both over the bar , while Danesfort hit back with a point of their own in the 10th minute from midfielder Cadhla Boylan.
Kate Fogarty then hit two points in a row from the half forward line, before Piltown scored their first goal of the evening. Grace struck another 45, it was parried by the Danesfort keeper, and Saoirse Barry was there to tuck it home after 23minutes. Half forward May Kearney and full forward Molly Cunniffe kept the scores coming for Danesfort but those were the last scores of the half for the home side.
Piltown were in control now as they attacked freely towards the All weather end, with Grace Farrell scoring the next 5 points (two 45s) to leave the half time score
Danesfort 1-03 Piltown 1-10
The lights were on for the second half , and Grace kept her scoring run going with the next three scores in the first 10 mins of the second half, a point from play , a goal from a long way out , and a point from a free , Ruby chipped in with her third of the night before Danesfort scored points in the 46th , 49th and 58th minutes.
The going was heavy and the rain started falling, as the game was now being played between the two 45’s .The home side kept trying and they did have chances though as Rachel Tennyson dived to her right to keep out a goal bound shot in the 52nd minute. Saoirse Barry scored a point in the 60th minute to end the scoring .
Final score ; Danesfort GAA & Camogie News 1-06 Piltown 2-14
Leinster Senior League '24.
Piltown 8-11 Naas 0-08.
Rd 1 – Sunday 18 February .
We kicked off the campaign in style with a comfortable win over the visitors from Kildare. It was a tight enough game at half time with a lead of 2-03 to 0-05, but we took over with 3 goals in 10 minutes and dominated from there until the final whistle.
Scorers:
Heather Phelan 4-02 - Leah Cooney 3-02 - 1-00 – Ellen Okeeffe 0-02 – Sophie Holden 0-03 – Lorraine Long 0-01.
Kilmacud Crokes 2-03 Piltown 0-08
Rd2 – Sunday 25 February .
We travelled to the capital for the second round, and lost by the minimum margin. It was a game of missed opportunities with numerous shots dropped short into the Crokes keepers hand, and ‘easy wides’ being the story of the game. We were behind by one point at half time, but only scored 3 points after the break (1 point from play) .
Scorers :
Heather Phelan 0-04 (4 frees) – Sophie Holden 0-02 – Chloe Blackmore 0-01 – Aine Doyle 0-01 (1 free)
Faughs 0-08 Piltown 1-07.
Rd3 – Sunday 25 March
Another trip to Dublin, as we visited Faughs Gaa just off the M50.
This time we came out on top with a two point victory against a dogged home side. It was a to and fro kind of game, with our defence working really hard ,superbly marshalled by Karen Duggan , Alice Talbot and Jenni Odea, to keep out a tricky Faughs attack. They were so good that the home side didn’t score from play in the second half, keeping them to just three points from frees.
The 'goals win games’ saying was proven true (again) as Heather Phelan latched onto a deflected shot close to goal and put it in the net just after the second half started and that gave us the breathing room that was just enough to get us into a Leinster League final on April 7th against Na Fianna of Dublin.
Scorers:
Heather Phelan 1-03 (2 45s 1free) – Sophie Holden 0-02 – Aine Doyle 0-01 – Chloe Blackmore 0-01.
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